A GROUP of travellers have made camp at land on Glebelands Park in Newport.

A number of caravans and cars are situated on the land this afternoon and are believed to have arrived on the site sometime yesterday.

An Argus reader said up to 14 caravans were on the land yesterday.

Plans for a permanent gipsy and traveller site in Ringland were given the go-ahead earlier this month despite hundreds of objections over access to the site.

A 4.78 hectare site on Hartridge Farm Road will be used by traveller families already living in Newport on illegal or unsuitable sites, after it was approved at a meeting of Newport City Council’s planning committee.

Cllr Emma Garland, member for St Julians, said: "Council officers have made contact. They told the officers they were just passing through and should be leaving tomorrow.

"The officers have been over to give them bags to put rubbish in."

She said the bridge getting into Glebelands was blocked for about an hour yesterday as the travellers were accessing the site.

She added there were around 10 caravans on site.

Cllr Carmel Townsend of St Julian’s said in a post on the St Julian’s Focus Facebook group on Saturday: “There are now 22 caravans on the Glebelands. Lock gates have been broken. Parks staff will monitor, but clearly this is a large gathering and tempers might fray.

“Gwent Police need to be patrolling this site on a round-the-clock basis, not just "as and when".  “Members of the public should not become embroiled in a confrontation with gypsies/travellers, however much they might resent this intrusion onto public open space.”

Glebelands Park is used by many clubs and societies, including the Riverside Rovers Football Club who coach children aged six to 16, the Model Railway Club, and the Indoor Bowls Club.

Nick Belcher, chairman for Riverside Rovers Football Club has said the travellers on the site is a big problem for the club as training will have to be moved elsewhere or be postponed.

He said: "It is sure to affect us even if they have moved by then. Before we can allow children to play on there the site needs to be fully clean as you don't know what will be left there.

"It's a bit of a disappointing start to beginning of the season for us really as it will affect training straight away."