MORE travellers’ sites are needed in neighbouring areas to avoid Hyndburn being ‘besieged’ by illegal camps, according to councillors.

The full council meeting last night saw opposition leader Coun Peter Britcliffe ask for ‘cross party support’ in highlighting the issue.

His appeal was backed throughout the chamber with many councillors reporting ‘persistent’ problems with illegal sites thorughout Hyndburn.

Coun Britcliffe said Hyndburn already offered more pitches to travellers than the entire Merseyside or Cumbria regions.

He added that close neighbours either offered very little provision or none at all.

He said: “We need to emphasise the need for all local authorities to make provision in order to avoid an over-concentration in districts like ours.

"It leads to increasing tension and disharmony between travellers and the settled community”.

Recent battles between the council and illegal campsites included the council winning a court order forcing travellers from the popular beauty spot at Arden Hall.

Just hours later a camp set up on the playing fields at Huncoat United JFC on Bolton Avenue.

Labour councillor Pam Barton added: “Whenever we have met with travellers, they tell us that they have often have to travel to the North East before finding another council site they can use.”

Councillors voted to make their concerns known as part of a response to a government consultation paper on planning for travellers’ sites.

Hyndburn’s traveller provision was doubled from 15 pitches to 30 in April in response to new government guidelines.

Councillors decided to extend the Whinney Hill site to provide ‘centralised’ facilities for travellers.

At the time, the council was also fighting illegal camps at Catlow Hall Street, Oswaldtwistle and Sough Lane Accrington.