PILES of waste including old carpets and broken glass have appeared after travellers broke in and parked their caravans at a popular Swindon community park.

The group moved onto the site at Shaw Forest over the weekend, shortly after travellers left an unofficial camp at Rushey Platt where they had been for several days.

One local, who said he saw men tipping waste onto the land behind John Lewis last week and reported it to the police, said: “I’ve never seen anything like it. It is just absolutely covered with old fridges. They’ve used it as a tip. They even started setting fire to it.

“The absolute lack of respect is disgusting,” he said. “It is just so annoying because I know it is going to come out of my pocket in the end.”

He added that people who hired the men to do work without checking that they had a waste dis-posal licence were partly to blame.”

Kevin Fisher, chairman of Shaw Residents’ Association said he was too downhearted to go and look at the Shaw Forest site: “I just cannot understand why these people cannot be prosecuted for criminal damage and for breaking and entering. Any normal taxpayer would be charged for that.”

One unhappy resident contacted the Advertiser to complain about the lack of enforcement by the police and council since Saturday.

He said: “Nothing has been done and the problem is growing thanks to the inaction of the local authorities, they are now fly tipping with impunity – perhaps they are above the law?”

On Sunday he described how household waste had been tipped in a corner of the events field.

Yesterday he told police: “The fly tipping has increased there is a large area now covered in rubbish, including broken glass.

“Also they have stared dumping in another area on the other side of the field, I think this is because their tipper trucks were getting stuck in the mud.

Another resident, Pete Jones, appealed direct to West Swindon Police on Facebook. “Traveller caravans now numbering 10 – that’s ten - Transit sized. Piles of rubbish now numbering three. Vehicle tracks all across Shaw Forest Park and adjoining cyclepaths - too many to count. Do something!”

A Swindon Borough Council spokesman said they were working with police to try to get the travellers moved on as soon as possible.

A Wiltshire Police spokesman said: “Wiltshire Police has been in contact with Swindon Borough Council regarding a group of travellers who have set up camp at Shaw Forest.

“The council will be taking the lead in the communication with the travellers and we will offer any advice and support if required.”

The park was taken over by travellers on the same weekend two years ago after taking down a barrier and lifting the gate off its hinges. They had been moved on from Lydiard Park.

After they left it was discovered that wooden benches and posts had been hacked down with a chainsaw.