Gates could be taken down in bid to keep travellers out of Darlaston park

Last week, more than 20 caravans set up camp at George Rose Park in Darlaston, four months after being moved off the same land.

Local councillors claimed that the travellers had caused traffic chaos in the surrounding area before removing the padlocks which kept gates leading into the park secure.

Councillor Paul Bott says he is now working with Walsall Council to look at removing the gates and replacing them with fencing in an effort to stop the travellers returning.

He said: "Our plan is to put a big fence up covering the area where the gates were.

"This isn't something that we take lightly but the problem with travellers has really gone too far now.

"We feel that we can't allow this to happen and we are concerned that residents are avoiding their park out of fear.

"We can't keep going on like this and we hope that by putting this fencing up travellers will no longer be able to simply break the locks and get on site."

The gates were originally set up to allow circus and fair acts to gain access to the park as they couldn't fit through the main gates. Councillor Bott has said that they will still be able to gain access when necessary, with the plan being that a section of the fence will be temporarily removed. Travellers at George Rose Park were told to move off the site over the weekend by council officers, who gave them seven days to leave. Four months before this, travellers were also told to move off the same land by council officials.

Councillor Bott has also said that work will now start after they moved off the site on Tuesday.