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Travellers move onto cemetery site in latest Black Country camp

Groups have been camping in Essington, Cannock, Wolverhampton and Dudley.

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Up to 50 caravans have moved onto the site of a new cemetery.

Travellers have pitched up on Bursnips Road in Essington, in-between Sneyd Lane and the M6 motorway bridge.

The site is currently being developed into a new cemetery.

Essington councillor David Clifft confirmed he and the landowner had spoken to the travellers and asked them to voluntarily move off by the weekend.

The travellers arrived on Wednesday

The landowner has also dropped a skip off at the site in an attempt to reduce the amount of rubbish left.

Councillor Clifft said: "There is about 40 to 50 vans on there at the moment, it is a big encampment.

"I had reports coming in on Wednesday night from residents about the travellers moving on.

"The site is just going under development at the moment to become a new cemetery. It was looking quite nice.

The landowner has taken a skip down in an attempt to keep the site tidy

"Yesterday morning I was in touch with the land owner and we are getting a court order to have them moved on. But we have also asked them to move on voluntarily by the weekend.

"We are trying to keep residents up to date as best we can as obviously people are concerned about it, especially as Essington is a small village.

"We are trying to work with the travellers to keep the site tidy. The land owner has taken a skip down there and hopefully the clean up will not cost too much when they move on.

"The site was looking lovely so this is a bit of a fly in the ointment."

Travellers parked next to a children's playground in Cannock this week

It comes two days after a group of caravans set up camp next to a children's playground in Cannock.

Meanwhile, dozens of travellers remain on Windsor Avenue playing fields, Penn, Wolverhampton and could be there until next week.

Wolverhampton council applied to get the 20 to 30 caravans evicted but was unable to get court date until July 19.

As a result, some councillors have now called for tougher powers to allow travellers to be evicted within 24 hours.

Travellers have been at playing fields in Penn, Wolverhampton, for a week

Residents have spoken of their concerns with claims that human waste and litter is being dumped around the playing fields.

Councillor Paul Singh, who represents the area, said: "There's some real concerns over what has happened. There have been some problems with waste.

"We've got to wait until the 19th before it goes to court to get them moved on. The residents I've been speaking to have got some real concerns."

A group of travellers were also reported to have parked up on fields next to Withymoor Primary School in Brierley Hill on Wednesday evening.

Just eight days ago another group set up camp on the fields in Turner's Lane and next to the nearby One Stop shop.