Travellers break into Wednesfield parkland

Travellers taunted families as they smashed their way through locked gates to set up camp on a Black Country playing field.

The 40-strong group of men, women, children and dogs swore and gesticulated as the convoy of caravans, trucks and vans drove past onlookers on to the council-owned land in Lichfield Road, Wednesfield.

They quickly set up sun loungers and umbrellas, threatening a council official who attempted to stop them entering the field.

It was the ninth different site occupied by the same group of travellers in the past three months and the rubbish-strewn locations have each cost up to £3,000 to clean up after they left.

Police and officials were today in urgent talks in a bid to find a way of halting the trail of destruction left by the travellers in their wake.

Firefighters were called to the park last night after trees were set alight.

Wolverhampton Council says it is working at finding a "long term solution" to the problem.

The travellers used bolt cutters to break the lock on a gate at the Wednesfield park, known locally as the Pavilion, and also smashed a metal bollard blocking their path. A council worker was later threatened and forced to move his van.

The field is popular with families and its playground busy during the holidays.

This morning there were 11 caravans on the site, together with two white vans and two pick-up trucks.

Residents were shouted and swore at by the group as caravans arrived yesterday afternoon. Some travellers spun their vehicle on the grass while taunting the residents as they pitched camp close to the children's playground and Perry Hall Infant School .

Scott Hadley, aged 50, said: "This is disgraceful because the youngsters have just started their holidays and this is one place where they could play safely. Now parents will not dare let them go near it. The travellers have no respect for anybody else."

People living nearby said that group had set up home on the land around five years ago before finally being persuaded to leave after several days.

One resident of Colman Avenue whose home is among many backing onto the land and who asked for his name not to be made public, said: "The travellers left a terrible mess the last time they were here and now we fear the same will happen again."

Police and council officials spent time at the scene yesterday and spoke to the travellers.

Wolverhampton council confirmed the same group had been on eight other sites in the city.