More travellers including a group with a goat have set up camp illegally – this time at a children’s park – in a seaside Cornish town.
It comes just two days after Perranporth Rugby Club had to close its car park after travellers arrived on the site.
In a statement on social media on Thursday evening (July 15) the club said four vehicles and caravans had arrived at the car park at Ponsmere Valley, so staff had locked the top gate “to prevent further progress”.
Recap: Perranporth Rugby Club closes car park after Travellers arrive on site
But now residents say up to 15 further vehicles joined the group at Ponsmere Valley – while another group of travellers has parked up on a children’s park and football pitch at Bolenna Fields. They are believed to have arrived on Friday (July 16).
Sharing aerial photos, one local resident said: “Travellers in Bolenna Fields and by the football pitch in Perranporth: one group at the rugby/football ground at Ponsemere Valley and one larger group at Bolenna Fields.
“[I spotted them] at 6am to 6.30am this morning.”
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Another concerned resident said: “The first group of around 15 adults, five vehicles and caravans arrived at the football and rugby grounds on Thursday afternoon, a second wave of around 20 adults and 10 children followed to Boscawen children’s play area at 5pm Friday night.
“Obviously realising nothing could be done to move them on as it’s the weekend.
“Many concerned locals tried to talk to them, explaining it’s the local children’s playing fields to which the travellers became aggressive and threatening.
“Police attended, yet did nothing, dispersing the locals with threats of arrest if they didn’t return to their homes and they had no powers to move the travellers on.
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The resident alleges that the travellers have been using loud petrol generators throughout the day and night, disturbing people in neighbouring houses, while social media posts say the group do not have access to toilet facilities and instead have been “defecating on the grounds”.
They have also been said to have lit a bonfire, although it was in a fire pit and not on the ground, and been driving around the fields “doing wheel spins”.
Speaking about the group at Boscowan, one resident said: “About another 10 have arrived this afternoon.
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“Washing lines spanning drying the length of the children’s football pitch, loud music, lots of generators and alcohol, revving of car engines. It’s awful.”
They added that this group appeared to have a goat with them.
Police are said to have attended the scene.
One resident told CornwallLive: “There has been petrol generators used all through the days and night keeping the residents in the nearby homes awake and disturbing the peace – not to mention the large consumption of alcohol and a bonfire destroying the grass and close to near by hedgerows.
“There has been reports of teenagers driving a silver Golf [VW Golf vehicle] erratically doing doughnuts and dangerous driving around the park equipment.
“The parish council have removed the goal posts at Boscawen Fields this morning.”
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CornwallLive understands Perranzabuloe Parish Council has issued the group at the park with a notice of eviction, as it owns the land. It is understood that the rugby club is taking similar action.
According to a post on the Perranzabuloe Community Facebook page, the travellers on the rugby pitch have “moved on”, although this has not been confirmed.
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