Travellers move to Bath Road car park after leaving Bowerhill

The group turned up at the Bath Road car park at around 7.55pm just before the England v Denmark Euro 2020 semi-final kicked off at Wembley Stadium in London.

Cllr Dr Mark McCelland, Wiltshire Council's Cabinet Member for Highways and Streetscene, said: “We have been informed that travellers moved on the car park at the King George V Playing Fields, next to the skateboard park in Melksham last night.

"An officer will be visiting the site this morning with the police to confirm their exact location and serve a warning notice requiring them to leave the site.”

Jeff Mills, of Melksham Town Council, said they are working with Wiltshire Police and Wiltshire Council to have the travellers removed.

“We don’t own the car park but we own King George V playing field. We have a plan and are doing our best to manage the situation,” he said.

The travellers had been parked up illegally at the Bowerhill Playing Fields since last Friday and were served with a Section 61 Enforcement Notice on Tuesday ordering them to move on.

The notice was enforced by Wiltshire Police on Wednesday evening. It is understood that, after leaving, the travellers tried to obtain access to land at the Canberra Youth Centre, before moving to the skatepark car park.

Teresa Strange, of Melksham Without Parish Council, said: “We are very grateful for the support from the local policing team for their assistance.

“We are now commencing a clean up operation. They have left behind a van-load of rubbish and human waste.”

The travellers had originally turned up at the Bowerhill playing fields at around 7pm on Friday while a Future of Football training session was taking place.

They had been parked up since the weekend, with four vehicles and four caravans, in a corner of the sports field just off the A350.

A Wiltshire Police spokeswoman said: “On Friday (July 2) we were made aware of a group of travellers who had based themselves on playing fields in Bowerhill, Melksham.

“We have liaised with the local authority and carried out engagement patrols over the weekend. We have now issued the group with a direction to leave the site.”

Melksham Without Parish Council has owned the Bowerhill playing fields, which is known as the Queen Elizabeth 2 Diamond Jubilee Field, following a community asset transfer from Wiltshire Council some years ago.

Cllr Nick Botterill, Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet Member for development management and strategic planning, said: “Both Wiltshire Council and Wiltshire Police have spoken with Melksham Without Parish Council and are supporting them in taking steps to ensure the site is returned to use as playing fields quickly as possible.”

Mrs Strange, parish clerk for MWPC, said: “We just want them off as soon as possible so that the field can be enjoyed by all.”

Mrs Strange said the Future of Football training session organisers were unable to close the playing fields gates in time to prevent the travellers from entering the playing fields at high speed.

The field contains football pitches, a sports pavilion and a small basketball court which are used by local people, personal trainers and exercise groups, dog walkers, and various sports clubs and other organisations in the Melksham area.

Mrs Strange added: “The parish council are very disappointed that an unauthorised encampment is preventing free access to the field.

“It is preventing the facilities from being used by sports clubs, residents, dog walkers and people taking a lunch break from their work in the nearby factories on the Bowerhill Industrial Estate.

“The police have visited twice, once on Friday evening and once on Sunday. They are doing everything in their power to bring it to a swift conclusion.”

The travellers’ arrival on Friday also prevented the local 2385 Melksham Squadron, Air Training Corps from holding their Friday evening meeting.