COUNCIL officers have this afternoon been granted a court order requiring the travellers currently camped at Skipton's Aireville Park to leave.

A spokesman for Craven District Council said: " We will be serving them with this order this afternoon (Thursday). If the travellers refuse to leave the council is then entitled to use bailiffs to evict them and will instruct bailiffs tomorrow if they have not left. Once the unauthorised encampment has been removed we will take steps to ensure the land is restored to a clean and tidy state."

 

POLICE are investigating alleged offences in Aireville Park, Skipton, since travellers arrived and set up camp.

And they have stepped up foot and mobile patrols along Broughton Road, Skipton, to reassure the community.

Craven district council is seeking an order to evict the community who have already ignored one order to leave.

There are about 30 caravans and vehicles.

Inspector Geoff Crocker told Craven area committee, where the issue was discussed, that police needed to be informed immediately of any problems.

Among the instances reported to police involved ten to 14 year-old boys approaching two girls and asking for sex as they walked through the park.

"The girls ran away scared and reported this which we have dealt with as an anti social behaviour order. We were unable to positively identify the young males as from the travellers," said Insp Crocker.

Officers had been looking into allegations of a child with an airgun and there had been complaints of rabbits being shot at

"We investigated but could find no evidence of persons with rifles as described nor could the caller identify where the shooters came from or went to."

Complaints had been received about dogs roaming free around the travellers' site and the children's park area and a dog walker had leapt out of the way of a male driving a transit style tipper along the footpath in Aireville park.