Travellers leave Common in mess (From Daily Echo)

Travellers leave Common in mess

10:06am Thursday 21st June 2001 in

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UP to 100 travellers descended on the treasured commons of one of South Bucks wealthiest communities leaving human faeces on the site after being moved on.

Villagers in Gerrards Cross were horrified to see around 30 caravans invade the village's West Common last Wednesday.

The travellers were moved out on Saturday, but have left excrement in the bushes and car parts and tree cuttings on the common. The parish council now faces paying the bill for the clean-up.

Michael Sharp, chairman of Gerrards Cross Parish Council Commons Committee, said residents were upset because some had given jobs clearing gardens to the travellers.

He added: "The residents here have given these people jobs clearing gardens away and they have then just dumped the cuttings on the common."

Gillian Underwood, vice-chairman of the parish council, said she was worried that the travellers would come back to Gerrards Cross now they had discovered how easy the common was to access.

She added: "Despite the problems we have faced here, it is reassuring to know that the community will still help out.

"Lots of the villagers joined in the efforts to clear away the worst of the mess, and I would like to thank them."

Buckinghamshire County Council served the travellers with a notice to leave on Friday, and they were off the site by Saturday afternoon.

A representative from the county council visited the site on Tuesday afternoon. The council say the clean-up will cost £1,000, to be paid for by the parish council.