SHOCKED charity event organisers were asked to pay £300 to use a car park for 90 minutes - despite travellers spending a week on the site free of charge.

Organisers approached Essex County Council hoping to use the park and ride, at Cuckoo Farm, for an annual charity scooter rally, held in aid of the Bobby Moore Cancer Trust.

After they were told they would have to pay £300 for use of the car park, the organisers were forced to look elsewhere.

Now Derek Ansell, eastern representative of the Vespa Club of Britain, says he is “disgusted” to see travellers pitch up on the site for a week - without paying a penny.

He said: “I cannot find the words to be honest.

“We were told we could use it for the charity rally, but security would have to open the car park and this would cost £300.

“This charge doesn’t seem to apply to travellers.

“We ask to use the empty space for an hour and a half on a Sunday to raise money for charity and are quoted hundreds of pounds.

“Caravans turn up and stay there for days without paying anything.

“This sends out a strong message.

“If you want to use the car park for free just set up in a few caravans and you won’t be charged a thing.

“I think it is a disgrace.”

The popular scooter run, which is now in its third year, went on to be a success after Colchester United stepped in to offer use of its car park.

The ride, held on Sunday, April 2, featured hundreds of motorcycles and scooters, and raised £900 for the trust.

Mr Ansell added: “We have riders travel from all over the county and Colchester is a good, central place to meet during the ride.

“Luckily we got in touch with Colchester United and were allowed to use their car park for a small fee.

“The cost was nowhere near the figure quoted for the park and ride.

“When we saw that travellers had arrived and essentially broken in, some of us actually toyed with the idea of just turning up and doing the same for the next event.

“But we won’t because we don’t want to break the law.”

Travellers pitched up at the locked car park on Sunday, May 14, and refused to leave despite being issued with an official ‘Direction to Leave’ notice. Seven caravans were on the site and they had finally moved on by Monday morning.

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “These two situations are entirely different.

“We did not give the travellers permission to use our site and, in fact, took action to remove them from the site as soon as possible.

“We are always happy to deal with responsible organisations, like the Vespa Club of Great Britain, who obtain proper permissions in advance. “Unfortunately we have to cover the cost of additional staffing to open the site on Sunday when it is not usually open.”