IT had to come. The construction of a protective barrier on a picturesque lay-by by the River Wharfe on Denton Road seems the only solution to the repeated problem of gipsy invasion. Residents and anglers have complained until they are blue in the face but there was nothing that the police or Bradford Council could do about the regular irritation.

There are those who would defend the presence of the gipsies and accuse the rest of us of blind prejudice and intolerance. When it comes to being intolerant of noise nuisance and mounds of dumped filth, there are many people in the town who would gladly admit their guilt.

The itinerents who regularly used the lay-by to camp, albeit illegally, could have won much sympathy from residents had they been quieter and taken responsibility for getting rid of their own waste products. The tip at Golden Butts Road is only five minutes drive away yet the aftermath of each gipsy camp in the area was a disgrace. Then there is the problem of human waste which hardly bears thinking about.

People should remember there is a great deal of difference between an alternative lifestyle and an offensive and irresponsible lifestyle. It would be wrong to try to force people to adhere to ways to living preferred by the rest of us, but there is nothing wrong with insisting on them conforming to standards of decency and the laws of the land.

The travelling population using that land proved time and time again that they were incapable of cleaning up after themselves. By ignoring notices to quit and continuing to create noise nuisance they also showed they could not give a fig for the sensitivities of the permanent population.

Ilkley owes them nothing and it will be with a smile of grim satisfaction, that the majority of the population witnesses their departure for good. Let us hope the new barrier has the effect intended and reflect with sadness only the fact that it means the problem will be visited on the unfortunate residents of some other area.