Clean up operation for Ferry Meadows staff as travellers move on

Staff at Ferry Meadows park were left with a clean up operation after travellers moved on from the site.
Travellers at Ferry MeadowsTravellers at Ferry Meadows
Travellers at Ferry Meadows

A total of seven caravans parked on Coney Meadow at the park on Sunday afternoon, with police called to try and deal with the situation.

Visitors were turned away from the park while the situation was being dealt with by police and park staff.

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On Monday the visitor centre and gift shop had to be closed as a result of the encampment, and the coach park - located close to where the caravans parked - was also shut. However the rest of the park was open to visitors as normal throughout the day.

An eviction notice was served on the travellers on Monday morning, telling them to leave the land by 8pm that evening.

The group had moved on by Tuesday morning, leaving a clean up job for park staff to make sure it was safe for park visitors to use the area.

Nene Park Trust, which run the park, were forced to foot the bill for bailiffs to attend to move the travellers on from the park.

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Manager Greg Higby said: “They have vacated and moved on. We think they moved on on Monday evening.

“They did leave a mess behind, but it was not too bad, certainly not as bad as we thought.

“It took about an hour to clear away the rubbish and boxes.

“We were able to re-open as normal on Tuesday, with no services affected.”

The travellers managed to gain entry to the park after a padlock was cut on gates.

High barriers had also been left open.

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Mr Higby added: “The padlock has now been replaced and the barriers will be permanently shut now.”

A spokeswoman for Cambridgeshire police said: “We were called at about 2pm in Sunday afternoon with reports of travellers trying to force entry from the car park at Ferry Meadows Country Park in Ham Lane, Orton Waterville, onto the main field.

“A crime has been raised for criminal damage.”

The police spokeswoman said no arrests had been made in connection with criminal damage