Travellers take over park for the SEVENTH time this year as group of 69 caravans and feral children running riot forces cancellation of cricket matches

A popular city park has been blighted by seven illegal traveller camps this year alone – with residents accusing officials of 'pussyfooting around' the issue. Roundhay Park in Leeds has been enjoyed by generations since it became a public space in the Victorian era.It boasts beautiful gardens, children's play areas, lakes, fountains, cafes, a folly, an arena which has hosted stars – such as U2, Madonna and Bruce Springsteen – and extensive grassland used by local football teams. But over the last six or seven years, travellers have repeatedly descended on the park, destroying trees, tearing up turf and leaving behind an unhygienic mess once they are finally evicted by Leeds City Council. Locals say they have also been forced to cancel cricket matches due to gangs of 'aggressive' traveller children as young as five. So far this year there have already been seven camps, and residents fear more travellers will arrive at the park before the end of summer.Officials believe 69 caravans are touring the Leeds area, setting up temporary camps on parkland and fields until they are moved on – only to pitch up in another spot nearby.A group of travellers moved on from Roundhay Park recently drove six miles across the city to pitch up in the grounds of Kirkstall Abbey, another public park. The council now plans to install more barriers, bollards, sand stone boulders and earth works to prevent the travellers setting up camp on the sporting pitches, called Soldiers' Field. Roundhay Park in Leeds has been blighted by four illegal traveller encampments this year alone. Pictured is one in recent months A pile of rubbish that was dumped in the park after one of the camps was ordered to move on. The waste pictured in this article has since been cleared by the council Leeds City Council has already put up boulders in an attempt to stop caravans moving onto open areas and plans to bring in more than a hundred more County Court orders remain tied to sign posts and trees informing 'The occupiers' have to leave the fields by July 17, but most of the litter and filth left by them has now been cleared up by council workers.Also tied to poles are applications for planning permission from the council for: 'Installation placement of approximately 125 sandstone boulders 7 bollards, 909 linear metres of earth mounding and 5 vehicle access barriers for prevention of access onto Soldiers' Field and Connaught Field.'North Leeds Bowling Club and North Leeds Cricket Club both border the fields and – despite fencing and security measures – have been plagued by traveller children running riot.Steve Wales, 65, chairman of North Leeds Cricket Club, said this had led to three matches being delayed or cancelled so far. 'The children jump over the fence around the cricket ground - we can't make it too high because of the aesthetics, so it doesn't stop them,' he said. 'We know about all the plans for boulders etc and we think "go for it".' We've been waiting for years for something to happen'People have just had enough and we are pleased the council is pushing it forward.'The travellers really affect our cricket club because when they are close we can't actually play because the ball could hit the caravans, so we are forced to call the game off.'Also, if there are a lot of spectators there I can't guarantee the safety of the children who are playing or the adults watching, because the traveller children tend to run across the field and cause disruption. A photo of an encampment taken by a local resident earlier this year Another pile of rubbish and green waste that was left behind at the park Steve Wales, 65, chairman of North Leeds Cricket Club, said the incursions had led to three matches being delayed or cancelled so far'They run across the cricket pitch and try to nick the stumps at half time. There is quite a threatening vibe when they are there.'Last season North Leeds Cricket Club had to cancel two home matches and this season has already seen one postponed.'We almost cancelled another, but luckily they moved on quickly, so we got away with that one,' said Mr Wales.'We are losing thousands of pounds every year because of them.'Three years ago we had an insurance claim of £10,000 in damage caused by the travellers and so our insurance premium has gone up.'We are losing bar revenue and credibility within our league because teams see we have got travellers again at Roundhay Park.'Mark Black, 68, owns a house that borders the parkland and regularly documents the vandalism and anti-social behaviour with videos and photographs.'There is encampment after encampment,' he said.'The last time was really talking the p**s because one group got moved on, and within hours, another group turned up - it was diabolical!'It has really escalated over recent years and when the warm weather comes along, we are cringing and waiting for them to descend.'Mr Black said the vehicles all have Irish number plates.'The kids are far worse than the adults. The kids have the whole park to play on and a proper playground, but no, they aren't playing there.'They are in the cricket club tearing down the screens and trying to set fire to things.' Roundhay Park in Leeds has been enjoyed by generations since it become a public space in the Victorian era Another pile of waste that has since been cleared away by council workers Broken paving stones and other construction waste shown in a photo taken earlier this year Mr Black is not convinced more boulders is the answer.'They are currently too far apart and some are so light I am able to move them, so a couple of travellers would have no problem.'The mess they leave behind is horrific and they leave human excrement in the bushes.'They are very aggressive - particularly those with the children. The kids know that they are untouchable. 'They cause a nuisance at the bowling club and an old chap was trying to remonstrate with them and I had to intervene, because one push by them on him could have resulted in a serious injury.'I phoned the police and when the police arrived the kids got hold of the officer's hand and they were walking like they were best mates.'The sheer amount of mess they leave in the park is staggering. There are dogs barking all day and night, generators running all hours.'They leave some rubbish dumped in bin bags, but we have crows and foxes round here and they soon rip into them and the rubbish gets blown everywhere.'One local resident accused the council of 'pussyfooting around' in a recent public meeting on the issue.Leeds GATE, a charity which supports Gipsy and traveller communities, has previously called for more legal sites. 'I think people feel like they are stuck between a rock and a hard place because they do not have anywhere to go,' the organisation's CEO, Ellie Rogers, told the BBC. 'There was a long waiting list and there aren't plots available. There's a housing crisis for everybody but for Gypsies and travellers it's much more stark.' Mark Black, 68, owns a house that borders the parkland and regularly documents the vandalism and anti-social behaviour with videos and photographs Another set of boulders that has been set up near the park's football pitches Disgusting scenes like this have become a common sight But Will Jennings, 70, who has an allotment in the park, said it was the travellers' behaviour that was the real issue. 'If they were just using the site and not causing a nuisance to locals and leaving rubbish, I wouldn't have a problem with them. 'We suffer a lot of damage when the travellers arrive, they steal our water from the tap and the young kids, who are fairly unruly, feral, throw stones and bricks.'They are racist. We have Chinese and other nationalities on the allotments and they have always been called racist words.'The council must have spent tens-of-thousands of pounds clearing up after them. Some of them are jobbing tree surgeons, and the mess they leave is terrible.'Locals have set up a WhatsApp group to alert residents when the caravans return.Many then know to not walk through the park to avoid the verbal abuse they suffer from the travellers.Leeds GATE and Leeds City Council have been contacted for comment.