FURIOUS residents in Alveston have called on South Gloucestershire Council to protect a green in the village after it was invaded again by travellers.

Five caravans arrived at the field next to Down Road in Alveston on Sunday evening at around 8.40pm, quickly making camp before anyone could stop them.

Due to trespassing being a civil matter, rather than criminal, police were unable to intervene, but said they were monitoring the site regularly, with the assistance of officers from South Gloucestershire Council, the group were moved on by 4.30pm on Tuesday.

The site has been a popular target for groups of travellers over the years, with many residents having called for defences to be installed in the past that would prevent unwanted vehicular access.

In previous cases where the field had been invaded, clean-ups were required to tackle the mess that had been left behind.

Speaking to the Gazette, Alveston resident Tim Searle, who lives near the green, said that the space is used by many in the area, and the intrusion by the group would mean “unease for all property and dog owners”.

“Our family take our one-year-old grandchild to the park next to these travellers, who use hedge as toilet and let their uncontrolled children wreak havoc.”

Further calls were made on social media, with neighbours to the green also suggesting that boulders, hedges or bollards be installed near the road.

A spokesman for Alveston Parish Council said that while they would like to be able to act, the security of the green was an issue for South Gloucestershire Council as the landowner.

“The parish council has done everything it can to liaise with South Gloucestershire Council but we don’t seem to have got anywhere.

“Past attempts to look into security suggested it could cost up to £135,000 to install bollards and bungs, and because it would be paid for through public money, do residents really want their precepts to go up in order to pay for that?”

A South Gloucestershire Council spokesman said: "The families moved on from the illegal encampment on Down Road in Alveston overnight. We worked closely with the police in line with our established procedures.

"We have now arranged for the site to be inspected and cleaned of any residual waste as soon as possible to avoid any disruption to residents.”