Anger as town centre travellers blamed over school damage

School play equipment has been vandalised after travellers took up residence on a prominent town centre green space.

Trespassers caused significant damage to equipment in the playground of Selby Abbey primary school during last weekend. The bill is understood to run into several thousands of pounds.

The incident occurred as a group of Travellers pitched up on playing fields immediately to the read of the school, with parents reacting angrily.

They described how tricycles, toys and other play equipment had been left broken in the playground with paint sprayed around the area. 

Selby District Council, who own the playing field - known locally as the bowling green - applied to court in order to evict the Travellers.

A spokesperson told us, “We served a notice at the beginning of the week and lodged a request for a court order to clear the site.  The Travellers have now left.

“There’s some clearing up to be done at the site, however, and we’re doing this as quickly as possible.  This includes clearing the playing field of rubbish and waste to make it useable again.  We’ve already started to do this, but it’ll take some time to restore the playing field to how it was.”