COUNCIL chiefs are taking legal action to remove a group of travellers who have set up camp on a Bewdley car park.

Around 12 caravans and trailers and vans are reported to have pitched up at Gardener’s Meadow public car park off Severnside South for more than a week.

The incursion has prompted complaints to Wyre Forest District Council from disgruntled motorists complaining of not being able to use the car park.

The council has started legal proceedings to get the “illegal incursion” removed from the site.

One resident, who did not wish to be named said: “About 12 caravans plus trailers and vans were in evidence on Thursday.

“Their cables linked to generators were spread over the car park and some drivers found it difficult to find a vacant space.”

“I imagine the residents that occupy homes bordering the park are not at all pleased. Litter has started to mount up by the bins and I understand some residents park there overnight due to the absence of adequate parking in the town.”

Another resident added: “I have lived in Bewdley for eight years and this hasn't happened before.

“It will impact on tourism to Bewdley this weekend as the car park is effectively a no go area. It will create a loss of revenue from parking charges and potentially cause pollution when the refuse finds its way into the river.”

Linda Draycott, Director of Community Well-being and Environment at Wyre Forest District Council, said: “We appreciate people’s frustrations and know incursions such as this can cause inconvenience and disruption for local residents and visitors.

“We are working really hard to get things back to normal as soon as possible.

“We applied for eviction notices from the County Court as soon as the travellers arrived as part of the statutory legal process we have to follow.

“In the meantime we will continue to follow the joint county protocol for dealing with illegal incursions on council land and our enforcement officers will monitor the situation closely.”