Councillors said the availability of work was the reason their area attracted so many Travellers.

The claims follow a new report which revealed there were more illicit Travellers camps in Aberdeenshire than anywhere else in Scotland last year.

A total of 61 unauthorised encampments were recorded in the region in 2016.

North Ayrshire had 58, while Aberdeen experienced 46 Traveller visits.

The Aberdeenshire figure is roughly three times more than those recorded by the majority of Scotland’s wards – which on average reported less than 20 encampments each in 2016.

Councillors said the numbers were so high in the North-east as the area was considered an “attractive place” for travellers to find work.

Buchan councillor Jim Ingram, a member of the gypsy committee, said: “It’s an attractive area because it’s been a prosperous area.

“Many of the Travellers are travelling tradesmen and they find this a lucrative area to do their work.”