Travellers may be barred from recreation ground

A group of around ten caravans parked on playing fields off Harbury Lane last Tuesday, leaving on Friday after legal action was taken by Warwick District Council, which owns the land.

Leamington FC players attended training at the recreation ground, but other teams’ training sessions were called off.

The encampment led to speculation that the area was being considered for a dedicated traveller site, but Cllr Bernard Kirton (Ind, Whitnash) said while it had been considered for a transit site, no permanent site had been identified.

Cllr Kirton said legal steps were being taken to ensure the travellers could be evicted immediately if they returned, adding that providing a site there would be rewarding repeated trespassing and fouling of the land.

A council spokesman said: “Warwick District Council is currently assessing sites for an official traveller site as yet no suitable location has been found.”