Travellers ‘left a mess’ at Breightmet playing fields

The group are believed to have arrived and set up an encampment on the New House Farm playing field opposite St Osmunds Primary School near Blenheim Road in Breightmet last week.

They have since moved on before court summons could be served requiring them to do so, but to residents’ dismay appear to have left mess and disruption in their wake.

Cllr Sean Fielding, of Breightmet, said: “When the Travellers arrived last Friday the council immediately started the legal process required to move them on.

Concerns have been raised about the condition the area was left in (Image: Public)

“In the end they left before the court summons could be served but sadly, they’ve left a mess in the area.

“I have spoken with environment and greenspace today to arrange for the area to be cleaned up.”

The group remained camped around the playing fields for around a week, with cars and caravan parked around the area.

They were still in place as of Tuesday June 9 this week, but Bolton Council said that a court summons requiring them to move would be served on or before this Friday.

The group has since moved on (Image: Public)

When The Bolton News approached people at the site last week, a woman said: “We’re just here for a few days.

“We won’t be here for long, and we’re not here to cause any trouble.”

There have been a number of Traveller camps in and around Bolton recently, including one on a leisure centre in Atherton and a car park in Westhoughton as well as New Bury in Farnworth.

The Travellers arrived last week on the playing fields in Breightmet (Image: Public)

Travellers also set up on land in Harwood, where a clean-up operation took place after they left what was described by locals as a disgusting mess.

The Travellers on playing fields in Breightmet moved as the council was ready take legal proceedings to remove them from the land, where neighbours had complained of anti-social issues.