A LARGE group of travellers have left a country park on the outskirts of Clacton – and set up camp in a nearby field.

The encampment of around 15 caravans moved off of Brook Country Park yesterday.

Bailiffs were waiting to be sent in following a Court Order having been issued for the travellers to leave on Friday but they were not needed.

Tendring Council, which runs the country park, will arrange for the rubbish which has been left on the site to be removed.

The caravans plus other vehicles arrived on the land on September 29.

The council said it appeared the same group along with a digger have now moved onto a privately-owned field at the back of Hazelwood Crescent and Leys Drive in Little Clacton.

Housing boss Paul Honeywood said it is frustrating that it is necessary to go through the same procedure every time, but it is the only way to remove the travellers.

“We know and they know exactly what will happen - and it will usually take seven to ten days to move the travellers on,” he said.

“We had the bailiffs ready to go onto the country park site this morning but that proved unnecessary as they left yesterday.

“The amount of rubbish left is probably less than we would normally expect for the size of the group and there has been an attempt to put it into bags and piled up to be collected.

“However, the cost of the clear up will be met from the public purse as usual.”

It is down to the owner of the field in Little Clacton to take the necessary action to move the travellers on because it is private land.