Travellers set up on Dudley community centre car park

At least 50 caravans were estimated to be occupying land in the car park of the Dudley Wood Neighbouring Learning Centre and Library Link community centre on Monday.

This comes after a group of travellers were moved off land on Priory Park on Thursday - but scores still remain on Hurst Green Park in Halesowen.

A youth club had to be called off as a result of travellers moving onto the learning centre, and teachers took the decision to close a day nursery earlier in the day.

Ward councillor Bryan Cotterill said: "More and more travellers keep coming, but papers have been completed to get them off the land as soon as possible. At least 50 are on there now.

"Teachers chose to close Dudley Wood Primary School early because of the travellers being there.

"The headteacher was at the school on the weekend and had to pull all the equipment outside leaving not much room."

Travellers had also got over the perimeter of the nursery at some point, he added.

Councillor Cotterill criticised the travellers decisions to move onto public land.

"I think it is completely appalling that they can come on to the land willy nilly is totally unacceptable," he said.

"It will be Dudley and council tax payers that will have to pay for the clean up afterwards. I find it totally unacceptable.

"But what can we do about it? They can come on the land and take over and then leave it for Dudley Council to clean up."

Councillor Gaye Partridge, cabinet member for housing, said: "Travellers moved onto Dudley Wood park late on Friday.

"We have visited the site and advised them they need to leave.

"At the same time we are starting possession proceedings and using the powers we have to get things back to normal as quickly a possible.

"People are right to be concerned when others illegally gain access to spaces like parks and the costs that this brings, but we would like to assure everyone we are doing everything we can to deal with these matters swiftly and appropriately."