Dudley residents begin clear up as travellers leave park while pensioner breaks leg in bust-up

Council staff got to work on cleaning up the park and playground in Cot Lane in Kingswinford after travellers finally left, bringing an end to a nightmare for residents.

Children from the encampment were pictured defecating on the playground and wiping themselves clean with their socks.

The actions caused outrage in the area and led to residents and councillors demanding immediate action.

They were finally given their marching orders on Thursday afternoon as around a dozen police officers descended on the site.

A pensioner suffered a broken leg after being struck by a traveller's caravan – just hours after a group of 'abhorrent' travellers were ejected from another Black Country site.

Residents in Old Meeting Lane, West Bromwich confronted travellers who were trying to enter Jessons Playing Fields on Thursday night.

Police have confirmed a 67-year-old man sustained a broken leg and was taken to hospital as residents tried to stop the travellers, who damaged a bollard in their effort to access the field.

Officers are searching for the vehicle to question the driver about the incident which happened about 5.40pm.

Ward councillor Bawa Dhallu said: "This is shocking, it's ridiculous.

Police spokesman Deb Edmonds said: "A resident has been injured after being struck by a caravan as he confronted travellers who were trying to access Jessons Playing Fields in Old Meeting Lane, West Bromwich."

There have now been calls to make sure travellers can't come back – and if they do, that they are moved on far more quickly.

Up to a dozen caravans were on the land for more than a week before police finally took action.

It was the latest in a long line of battles waged between councils and travellers which has lasted all summer in the Black Country.

Christine Adams, aged 67, of Barnett Lane, which runs alongside the park, said: "It was a little bit traumatic. One person would always be in the house at one time, we were a little but scared to go out.

"We have never experienced anything like it before first hand.

"Their reputation goes before them. We didn't have any personal problems with the travellers.

"We are sorry for the people who will have them next."

Craig Carpenter, aged 53, who lives nearby, said: "I have been walking around the park and seeing human excrement. So much rubbish was left behind.

"Kids coming out of school and going onto the park have to contend with it all. I wouldn't want that.

"It's the mess they leave behind, trying to clean up after the dog is bad enough.

"More should be done to stop them being able to get on the field. They know how long they can stop and what they can get away with."

He said: "Green areas like this need to be better protected. I will be meeting with council officers to discuss how this can be done.

"We need to get the legal team to sort a strong case for a permanent ban.

"I am going to lobby local MPs to pressurise the new Prime Minister to change the law.

"All they have got to do is to make encampments illegal by changing it to a criminal offence from a civil offence so they can be removed without taking all this time.

"Travellers were given greater protection in 2010 which I don't think has helped the situation. It is a barrier and is why police haven't used discretionary powers. Human rights are there to protect everyone not just certain groups."

Councillor Patrick Harley, opposition Conservative Group leader in Dudley, agreed a blanket ban was needed.

He said: "Dudley Council should be looking to do what Walsall has done by getting an injunction against encampments.

"If other councils can get it there is no excuse for Dudley not following suit.

"I believe Sandwell is thinking about it too, and if Sandwell get it and Walsall has got it, they are all going to come to Dudley."

Readers told of their disgust over the actions of the travellers the Express & Star's Facebook page.

Julie Ann Round posted: "These travellers wonder why we don't like them how can people like them when they are defecating and urinating everywhere leaving rubbish everywhere."

Jane Davies wrote: "Nobody with any decency would use a park as a toilet or trespass on land that doesn't belong to them.

"Get tough and deal with it."