Litter left at Haslam Park cleared by volunteers as more caravans pitch up in another city park

But it has been reported that another group of travellers has since relocated to nearby Ribbleton Park.

It was last week that Preston council officers started working to remove a travellers' camp which had been set up on Preston's Haslam Park.

About a dozen caravans had parked up on the public parkland after getting through a security barrier but have since moved from the site.

Heaps of rubbish were collected by volunteers from the Plastic Free Preston group last Friday, July 9, who spent hours collecting dumped items such as deckchairs, nappies and old takeaway boxes.

Preston City Council has confirmed that it is currently undergoing a process to remove the remaining litter and will commence the legal eviction process at Ribbleton Park once welfare checks have been completed at the park.

A social media post by the Plastic Free Preston said: "A group of volunteers from Plastic Free Preston have cleaned up the mess left behind by the travellers on Haslam Park.

"It was a pretty stinky job too. How does someone manage to make such a mess in such a short time is beyond us. Everything from used nappies, deckchairs, spoons, clothes, broken glass, takeaway rubbish ... to Ted Baker shirts! Haslam Park back to it's beautiful self again."

Preston Council was quick to commend the work of volunteers who spent hours clearing the rubbish that had been dumped and added that they have begun the process of moving the travellers from Ribbleton Park.

Councillor Robert Boswell, Cabinet Member for environment and community safety, said: “Our huge thanks go to the Plastic Free Preston group of volunteers who took it upon themselves to visit Haslam Park on Sunday – in the pouring rain – and clear up the waste and debris left behind from the group of Travellers

"Their help in activities across the city is much appreciated, assisting our parks and street cleansing crews who can’t be everywhere are once.

“We are also aware that another group of Travellers are currently on Ribbleton Park. Officers from the council have visited the site to make contact with the group, carry out welfare checks and we have commenced the process to remove them from site.

"The area is being monitored regularly and a waste collection process is being arranged.”

The council added that the Ribbleton Park site will be monitored to check for any issues and will be reviewed should the numbers of the group increase.

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