Travellers have set up an illegal camp on the sports field at Harrogate’s Ashville College — and demanded £5,000 to leave immediately.
The school has said their presence raises safeguarding concerns that could delay the return to school on September 8.
Cars and caravans drove onto the rugby pitches behind the fee-paying school’s Mallinson boarding house on Yew Tree Lane last night.
According to a college spokesman, they told school staff they were on their way to a wedding in Ireland after attending the annual Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria.
However, the travellers said if the school paid them £5,000 they were prepared to leave immediately without causing any damage.
But if no money was forthcoming, they said they would increase the length of their stay and implied they would invite other members of the travelling community to join them, the spokesman added.
This week, the college is staging a series of summer sports activities for boys and girls. These have now had to be brought indoors as the college is concerned about the safety of the children.
Despite the camp’s presence being a safeguarding issue, the college is worried that the only route it can now take to remove the travellers is to apply for a court order, which could take up to 10 days, and interrupt the start of term.
The spokesman said:
“Despite the travellers illegally camping on our grounds, which is private property, and their presence being a child safeguarding issue, the police state they are powerless to take action.
“This has already impacted on our summer sports camps and there’s a possibility the start of the new term may have to be delayed.
“We are now having to engage the services of a solicitor to help us apply for a court order, and in the meantime we are powerless to do anything, which is incredibly frustrating and worrying.”
