February 26, 2015 1.49 pm This story is over 108 months old

Lincoln council pays out for clean up after travellers leave playing field

Council clear up: City of Lincoln Council has announced the cost of cleaning the site where travellers set up camp for nearly a week.

The cost of clearing up a Lincoln playing field where a group of travellers set up an unauthorised camp was as much as £400, the City of Lincoln Council has revealed.

The travellers pitched up on King George V playing field in the north-east of the city on Thursday February 19, staying for six days.

Lincolnshire Police visited the site off Macaulay Drive the following morning and the group was served a notice by the City of Lincoln Council the same day to vacate by 2pm on Monday, February 23.

However, the travellers ignored this order, remaining on the field until Wednesday afternoon.

The city council progressed with legal action to evict the travellers, but no legal costs were incurred when the group moved on.

The group had previously taken up a large section of the Morrisons car park on Tritton Road before being asked to leave by the supermarket.

A number of caravans stayed overnight at Lincoln Morrisons. Photo: The Lincolnite

A number of caravans stayed overnight at Lincoln Morrisons. Photo: The Lincolnite

Dave Charysz, Open Spaces Officer at City of Lincoln Council said: “We can confirm the travellers who set up an unauthorised encampment at the King George V Playing Field have now left the site.

“A clean up of the site has now been completed. Working with the police and Lincolnshire County Council, we are satisfied we took all action available to us to resolve the situation as swiftly as possible and followed the guidance set out in the Joint Protocol on Unauthorised Encampments in Lincolnshire.”