Overflowing skips, bags of litter, abandoned furniture and broken loos: Thousands of travellers decamp from Appleby and THIS is the mess they left behind



Appleby Horse Fair is the world's biggest gathering of gypsies and travellers dating back to 1685

About 10,000 gipsies and travellers and a further 30,000 visitors attended the event which started on June 5

As the fair came to an end this weekend the beautiful Cumbrian hillsides were left strewn with rubbish



Fields and public bridleways have been littered with gas canisters, tyres and abandoned furniture




For one week in June, thousands of travellers, gypsies and tourists descended on the picturesque market town of Appleby for its annual horse fair.

But as the fair came to an end this weekend, the beautiful Cumbrian hillsides and green pastures surrounding the town were left spoiled with overflowing skips, bags of litter, abandoned furniture and broken loos.



Fields and public bridleways have been littered with gas canisters while debris trails through the land where the lush green grass once stood.

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Aftermath: Rubbish and empty bottles are strewn across a muddy field in Appleby following the annual horse fair in the small Cumbrian town

Darren Barnett, duty manager at the Royal Oak pub in Appleby said: 'The rubbish issue is always a common occurrence.

'Hundreds of travellers come here every year so the amount of litter increases and is left all over the place.

'The council have an agreement with the travellers for them to tidy up the rubbish in certain sections of the town, but it always takes such a long time.

'There are bins and litter pickers everywhere but we can't stop people from throwing stuff on the floor or leaving things lying around. It's a total mess.'

The green fields of Appleby in Cumbria have been left in a state with mud tracks, litter and devastated roadsides blighting the landscape after the horse fair

Disgusting': A toilet is found lying on its side along a country road in Appleby following the horse fair which was attended by about 40,000 people

What a mess: An overflowing skip is left in the middle of a field in Appleby, Cumbria, with more rubbish strewn around it

Appleby Horse Fair is the world's biggest gathering of gipsies and travellers, dating back to 1685.

About 10,000 gipsies and travellers and a further 30,000 visitors attended the event, which started on June 5.

Mr Barnett, 29, added: 'The town centre has been cleared but travellers can also stay in the fields towards the outskirts of the town. When all of them

leave it's left untidy, it looks a tip.'

This toilet was completely destroyed during the Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria when thousands of travellers and gipsies descended on the Cumbrian town

The unspoiled green fields of Appleby in Cumbria have been left in a state with mud tracks and litter after thousands of travellers visited the annual horse fair

Wrecked: A gas canister lies in the middle of a field in Appleby in front of a dirt track which has blighted the once rolling green hill

Wire fencing in Appleby has been pulled down by revellers who attended the annual Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria which happens over a week

Wrecked: Furniture and bags of rubbish were left abandoned following the Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria which dates back to 1685

Fields and public bridleways have been littered with gas canisters and tyres despite revellers being told they must clean up after themselves following the fair

The unspoiled green fields of Appleby in Cumbria have been left in a ruined state with mud tracks, litter and devastated roadsides blighting the landscape after gipsy travellers descended upon the area during the annual Appleby Horse Fair last weekend

Hundreds of travellers descend on Appleby every year so the amount of litter increases and is left all over the place when it is over

A spokesperson for Eden District Council stated that although the council is responsible for certain areas of Appleby where travellers choose to camp,

private landowners also allow them to stay on other areas.

He said: 'The activity outside of the town centre is private land, therefore it is the responsibility of the landowner to clean up the area. We would encourage the owners of the land to clear it as quickly as possible.

'If the public were to voice their opinion about a specific patch of land, in certain circumstances we would consider an appropriate plan to put into

action and contact the land owner.

'During every event, we encourage residents and those who are travelling into Appleby to use the extra rubbish facilities that we provide to keep Appleby

as picturesque as what it is known for.

'We work hard to make sure the horse fair is a success and we have had positive feedback so far.'

Gipsy travellers take their horses into the River Eden during the Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria last weekend which is a tradition dating back to 1685