Travellers pitch up next to Walsall's Banks's Stadium

The group pitched up two caravans on the service yard of the Bescot Retail Park, opposite Walsall's Banks's Stadium, at around 12pm on Friday.

They were still there at around 12noon on Saturday - hours before Walsall's FA Cup match. The area the caravans were positioned was cordoned off and supporters parked elsewhere.

After police issued an eviction notice, the travellers eventually moved on, and had left by the start of Saturday's game.

West Midlands Police spokesperson Hannah Fitzgerald said: "We were called to reports of travellers on Bescot Crescent at around mid day on Friday.

"They were issued with a section 61 notice and told to leave by 6pm that day.

"Despite not doing this, they had left by 1pm the next day and there is nothing to suggest that there was any trouble caused as they left the site."

The incident marks the latest in a recent run of travellers illegally moving in to sites across Walsall.

In the previous week, travellers had set up camps on two sites in the borough, prompting the council to evict them.

Three caravans had set up camp on land off Rayboulds Bridge on Monday, with the authority also receiving reports that half a dozen caravans and vehicles had moved onto Delves Common on Sunday.

The council also recently took court action to remove travellers from Delves Common and The Parkway, Shelfield.

Residents in Darlaston have also voiced their concerns over plans to set up a permanent travellers site in the town, with more than 2,500 people signing a petition against the plans.

The old Darlaston Multi-Purpose Centre site had been earmarked by Walsall Council to become a permanent site for travellers.

But residents have raised concerns that there could be issues with litter and anti-social behaviour.