Travellers Evicted From Stockwood Park

4 October 2011, 16:41 | Updated: 4 October 2011, 17:28

At midday today police and bailiffs moved into Stockwood Park in Luton to evict travellers that had been illegally living there for the last two weeks.

It was originally thought that they had come to Bedfordshire from Dale Farm in Essex but this was never proven.

Last week a Magistrate gave them until midday today to leave the public park because they told the court they were in Luton for a funeral that took place yesterday. At midday there was very little movement from the travellers but by 2pm most of the caravans had gone. The council called in three tow-trucks to move any caravans left behind.

The park is usually a hot-spot for dog walkers and children but this has changed over the last two weeks the presence of around 25 caravans. Some people claim that although their behaviour wasn’t too bad, they were intimidating and messy.

Luton Borough Council has made plans to have the park properly cleaned up. Amongst the general rubbish the travellers left behind televisions, shoes and children’s toys.

Stockwood Park becomes inhabited by travellers around once or twice a year. Councillor Mahmood Hussain has said that they will do what they can to stop any travellers coming into the park but they don't want to restrict public access.