Police called as travellers set up camp in Purton field

A group towing 20 caravans arrived at around 9pm on Wednesday evening.

Police were called to the area with an eyewitness telling the Adver things became heated between the farmer and the travellers.

Police were called to Purton last night. Pic Adam Staines

Adam Staines, who lives next to the field in Purton said: “The farmer saw them quite quickly and put a tractor across the entrance to the field which blocked some of them.

“There was then a heated argument with the farmer who was not happy.

“The travellers threatened her and there were a lot of heated words."

Mr Staines said the travellers had brought disruption to the village.

Pic: Dave Cox

“There was quite a lot of noise, the kids were on their dirt bikes going up and down the field,” he explained.

“It’s very disruptive a lot of people on this street have young families, there were dogs barking.

“The dogs were quite aggressive towards the police, they had them chained up.”

Wiltshire Council said it was aware of the issue but because the encampment was on private land it was not able to get involved.

The Adver tried to speak to the farmer concerned, but she declined a request for an interview.

And as of 1pm on Thursday afternoon, the travellers had moved on from the site.

Photos sent to the Adver show the mess left behind by the group, including takeaway boxes and a tyre mark.

Travellers have been spotted in Swindon and Highworth over the last week.

On Friday morning, a group of travellers set up camp illegally at Highworth Recreation Ground for the third time in just over a year.

In the evening, a group was then spotted on Tovey Road in Pinehurst where they left a mess after leaving the area on Thursday,

Swindon Borough Council has confirmed that its team will visit and organise a clean-up.