TRAVELLERS have moved their mobile homes and caravans onto a Bradford park - putting a community festival at risk.

The new arrivals at Brackenhill Park, in Great Horton, have left nearby residents and councillors dismayed.

Councillor Joanne Dodd, a Great Horton ward councillor for Bradford Council, spoke of the upheaval caused by the situation.

The Labour politician said: “I’m chair of the Friends of Brackenhill Park group and it’s quite devastating because we are trying to improve the park and get more people to use it.

“When travellers come in, people can’t use the park and I’m worried about the damage they could do and the mess they could make.

“When they arrived on Saturday there was a bowls game going on and they had some trouble with them.

“It’s devastating for the community around Great Horton and hopefully the council is in the process of appealing to the courts.”

Cllr Dodds said the travellers may have scuppered plans to host a community festival at the site on July 14.

The event, which has been a long time in the planning, was due to see pupils from local schools performing.

She added: “We’ve got a community festival coming up and we have been planning that all year.

“I don’t want that to be in jeopardy because I know how much the community look forward to that event.

“Our theme is about celebrating the diversity in Great Horton and there’s a lot of work that has gone on to bring the community together.”

There are two council-run caravan sites for travellers in Bradford - Mary Street and Esholt.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published data on the number of travellers and gypsies based across the country.

Eighty three caravans were recorded across the district in 2017, but only 52 of them had planning permission to be where they had chosen to settle.

The number of caravans caravans being parked on a site without planning permission has fluctuated between 29 and 31 over the last three years, while the amount of travellers securing planning permission has increased from 35 in January 2015 to 52 in July of last year.

A spokesman for Bradford Council confirmed it would be taking the matter through court and pledged to return the park to its normal condition as soon as the travellers had moved.

The Council spokesman said: “We are aware of the situation.

“As with every case of illegal traveller encampments on Council land we will ask the court for a Possession Order for the site.

“When that is served and the travellers have moved on from the park we will clean up the site and restore it to its original condition as soon as possible.”