Travellers leave Sheffield park 'looking like open sewer'

Around 50 caravans had pitched up on Angram Bank in High Green on Sunday, with the occupants moving on yesterday, Friday, August 6, after being served with a formal notice to leave by the council and police threatening them with court action.

Ecclesfield parish councillor David Ogle has shared these photos of the mess left behind following their stay.

Litter can be seen strewn across the grass, with gas canisters, glass and what Mr Ogle says is human excrement among the waste.

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Mr Ogle said: “It’s an open sewer on Angram Bank Park. It’s absolutely covered with waste.”

He said this was the fifth time travellers had set up camp at Angram Bank and he wants the parish council to secure the site with boulders, which he says could cost around £30,000, to prevent them returning.

Liberal Democrat councillors Mike Levery, Alan Hooper and Ann Whitaker said Sheffield Council’s clean-up team had been working around the caravans as they departed on Friday afternoon.

In a joint statement they added: “All hazardous waste was removed including glass and propane bottles, with the final clean-up taking place on Monday.

“Whilst the skatepark and children’s play area are fine, there is still non-hazardous rubbish at certain points around the park which should be avoided.

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“Our efforts now turn to reviewing the options for securing the site against future visits whilst maintaining easy access for local residents.”

John Teasdale, who lives opposite the park, told how travellers had camped out in the park last year and the council had placed large boulders beside the skate park but these did nothing to prevent vehicles from accessing the site.

He said the travellers had ‘completely taken over the park’ during their stay, meaning no one else could use it, and had left toilet paper and litter ‘everywhere’.

The travellers are believed to be heading to the Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria.

The Facebook group Anti Racist Cumbria has critcised what it describes as unfair ‘anti-traveller sentiment’, saying festival-goers don’t face the same level of opprobrium for the mess they leave behind.