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Travellers have left one illegal Huddersfield encampment – but more have arrived at another.

The dozen or so caravans moved off the Bradley to Birkby Greenway in Leeds Road, Deighton, on Wednesday after staying for five days.

But they have been left the land strewn in potentially harmful waste and general household rubbish.

Some families have bagged up rubbish but others have dumped their waste in hedgerows.

Waste left behind includes a gas canister, tyres, a empty bleach bottle, a weedkiller box and rotting foodstuffs.

Interestingly, among the dumped rubbish is a map of Huddersfield printed from the Kirklees Council website.

Meanwhile, travellers face eviction from the Celandine Avenue recreation ground off New Hey Road, Salendine Nook.

Kirklees Council was granted an eviction order at Huddersfield County Court on Wednesday – but bailiffs aren’t due to go until Monday afternoon.

It is understood towing vehicles and police will also attend.

There are now around 16 caravans on the site.

At Deighton, the travellers – who described themselves as Romany gypsies – arrived on Friday. Residents say they broke a padlock on a gate off Deighton Road to gain access.

They left at 4pm on Wednesday and are believed to have used lifting gear to remove boulders blocking the entrance on Leeds Road, opposite F&G Commercials.

Residents say human excrement has been found near a public footpath where the travellers emptied portable toilets.

There is rubbish scattered among blackberry bushes including rotting food, the bleach bottle and the weedkiller packet.

Camping chairs, a pram, a child’s bike, toys and a dog’s bowl containing baked beans have also been dumped in the undergrowth. Garden waste has also been dumped.

The greenway is popular with walkers and cyclists, many of whom stayed away while the travellers were there.

The Romany Gypsies said they were in town for the Lee Gap horse fair in West Ardsley
The Romany Gypsies said they were in town for the Lee Gap horse fair in West Ardsley

Margaret Firth, 68, who is looking after 12-month-old granddaughter Emily in Bradley with husband Malcolm, said: “The greenway is a regular walk for us but when I was on my own I wouldn’t go down there. It was intimidating.”

Malcolm, 71, added: “If the travellers have broken in why aren’t they being prosecuted? It’s a problem everywhere.”

David Ellis, 69, who lives nearby, said the travellers had broken in through a gate off Deighton Road.

“It’s where the council tractor comes in to cut the grass,” he said. “There’s a brand new lock on there now,” he said.

“In fairness the travellers haven’t caused any real damage. I have a wheelbarrow outside and everything is still there. But what they have also left is a mess. However, I don’t know where they are supposed to take their rubbish or where else they can empty their toilets.”

Mr Ellis said he watched the caravans pull out onto Leeds Road at about 4pm on Wednesday and rang the council to inform them.

“It was just an answer machine so I left a message,” he said. “The council needs to come and clean it up.”

Kirklees Council has a new policy of blocking access to vulnerable sites with huge boulders and Lindley Lib Dem councillor Cahal Burke said he wasn’t sure it was working.

“We have put up barriers at several sites but will obviously have to take another look,” he said.

“The latest group at Salendine Nook were on a football pitch and the new season started this week. It is causing problems.”