Travellers move in on Blackpool playing field

Police were called at around 12.15pm yesterday to reports that travellers had moved onto Fishers Field off Highfield Road, Blackpool.

The field is home to Foxhall Junior Football Club, who practice there seven days a week.Training at the club has been cancelled while the travellers remain on the pitch.Club chairman Shaun Louth said: “It’s a bit of an inconvenience. It’s not an ideal situation with the kids’ training, and there will probably be litter left behind.

“We were supposed to be training tonight but we’re calling it off. The kids are going to be disappointed but it’s just one of those things.

“It’s out of our hands. We’ll just wait until they move on.”

Highfield councillor Lily Henderson said: “The field is part of our community. They have no right to park there.”

She added that the travellers presence may cause problems for water company United Utilities, which is due to carry out work on Fisher’s Field.

She said: “I think they should be moved immediately because they are stopping children playing on there and they may beholding up United Utilities work on the drains, which we need as a matter of urgency.

“The council will hold a meeting to find out exactly what we have to do to get them moved. In the mean time I believe the police should step in, as they are parked there illegally.”

A police spokesman said: “A member of the public complained that the travellers have set up on the football pitch.”