Travellers left Harrogate’s Ashville College last night, three days after they arrived.
The fee-paying school postponed home sports fixtures when caravans pitched up on the sports field off Yew Tree Lane on Friday night.
North Yorkshire Police said last night all vehicles had vacated the field by 7.15pm.
A police spokesperson said:
“The Harrogate neighbourhood policing team has worked closely with the college and community partners to resolve this issue.
“Our officers are continuing to liaise with all parties and are carrying out patrols in the area to address safety and security concerns.”
Ashville College
An Ashville spokesman said it served notice on the travellers to leave the school grounds yesterday morning. He added:
“The police successfully handled the departure and we are delighted to confirm that they all have left the site.
“Crucially, the order served today prohibits a return to our site within the next twelve months.
“We have secured the entrance they forced themselves through on Friday night.
Ashville head Rhiannon Wilkinson said in a letter to parents:
“It has been a challenging three days and I am enormously grateful to my colleagues in boarding who have done an exceptional job looking after the boarders this weekend in what have been difficult circumstances.”
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Travellers arrive on Oatlands Park in Harrogate
Travellers have set up a camp on Oatlands Park in Harrogate.
Vehicles, which arrived last night, are believed to have gained access from Hookstone Road.
A post preventing traffic from entering the park was lying on the ground this morning.
Where the vehicles are believed to have entered.
Almost 20 vehicles are parked on the grass, at the side of the field.
The Harrogate Borough Council-maintained park includes public toilets, a play area for children and is a popular place for football matches.
The Stray Ferret has approached Harrogate Borough Council to ask if it is taking any action.
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Andrew Jones MP writes to Priti Patel about ‘law-breaking’ Travellers
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has written to Home Secretary Priti Patel about speeding up measures to evict Travellers who break the law.
The Conservative MP said the recent encampment at Hay-a-Park in Knaresborough produced “disorder and anti-social behaviour completely off the scale compared to that associated with previous traveller encampments in our area”.
Mr Jones said his comments were based on reports received from residents, police and landowner Harrogate Borough Council.
Writing on his Community News website, he said:
“Vandalism of property, damage to cars, late night motorbike and quad bike racing through residential estates, break-ins at barns, use of pavements and open space as a toilet were just some of the unpleasantness residents nearby reported and had to put up with.”
Mr Jones added that some Travellers had “took the openness and generosity of spirit which is the hallmark of our communities and simply abused it” and further action was needed to “protect the rights and property of residents against future incursions of this nature”.
Eviction currently takes place three days after notice is served.
“I have written to the Home Secretary asking her to look at ways in which enforcement can be brought forward on the advice of the police where law-breaking occurs from the activities of a travelling community.
“I have also written to our local Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Zoe Metcalfe, asking her to look at the policing of this encampment and to see if any improvements could be made with the benefit of this experience.
“Finally, I have asked the council to look at how it can secure public land more effectively and more anticipate the movements of travelling communities and provide appropriate sites to be used as layovers for them.”
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Mr Jones described the Traveller encampment as “a darker episode for many” amid recent celebrations, such as Knaresborough Bed Race and the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
“I want to make sure that local people and travelling communities can enjoy their everyday lives in peace.
“It is a shame when the minority act in a way that risks labelling the majority and that is what my actions are seeking to avoid.”
Travellers arrive on Harrogate’s Stray
A group of Travellers has set up an encampment on the Stray in Harrogate today.
Six caravans and a car are parked on the section of the Stray just off Oatlands Drive.
They are believed to have arrived this afternoon.
The Stray Ferret spoke to dog walkers on the parkland near to the caravans this afternoon.
They said they walk on the land regularly and hadn’t noticed the vehicles until this afternoon.
It comes days after Travellers also set up camp on the old rugby field in Knaresborough.
The Stray Ferret has asked Harrogate Borough Council, which is the protector of the Stray, whether it is aware of the issue and if it is taking any action, but has yet to receive a response.
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