Bid to move fair travellers fails

Nearly 40 caravans have been moved on to the site

A council has failed in its bid to remove all travellers who have set up camp on a Scarborough housing estate.

Dozens of travellers, in Scarborough for next week's Seamer Horse Fair, have moved on to land off Centurion Way.

The council had designated land on Stoney Haggs Road for the travellers, but they say the site is unsuitable.

Magistrates have granted an order that the council can move some of the travellers, but only those who arrived before Monday.

The magistrates said travellers who had settled after that date had not been given enough notice to be removed.

One Centurion Way resident told BBC News that some of the travellers were using bushes as toilets and the noise from their dogs and generators was keeping her awake at night.

Travellers 'trespassing'

A group of travellers, who did not want to be identified, said they did not wish the residents any harm.

They said the site at Stoney Haggs Road was too narrow and there was not enough room to graze their horses.

They said Scarborough Borough Council had 12 months to find a suitable site for them but had failed.

Seamer councillor Lucy Haycock said the council was disappointed with the magistrates' decision.

She said: "As far as I am concerned, and I believe the residents feel the same, a trespass is a trespass, whether you have arrived here on the Friday or arrived here on the Saturday. It should have made no difference.

"There's a site which is designated for them, they just refused to go. We have provided water and toilets and skips there for their use, so you can't really say that we haven't tried to please them."

Mrs Haycock said the council would now consider its next move.