Residents have called for more security at a site where travellers have set up camp.

People living in nearby luxury homes and apartments were shocked on Sunday when a convoy of 30 caravans and pick-ups moved on to the vacant car park at the back of the former Silver Cross pram factory in Guiseley's Back Lane.

The travellers promised to leave the site by Tuesday but are still there.

They claimed they had been heading for London when an engine on one of their vans broke down, forcing them to stop.

By yesterday more than 30 anxious residents had telephoned the office of the land agents who have been marketing the site since its last tenants Silver Cross moved out in the summer.

One of the callers to Leeds-based land agents Allsopp & Co was 29-year-old Martin Hutchin-son. He said residents felt let down by the site owner whom he claimed had failed to protect the site from travellers and other misuse and had abandoned it to "rack and ruin".

He said there was no security at the site and that anyone could gain access to the car park.

"There was a metal gate with a chain on at the way in to the car park but it was only propped up - it wasn't fastened to anything," Mr Hutchinson said.

"We need assurances that after these travellers have gone steps will be taken to stop anyone from getting in there again."

He said it was like watching "a parade" as the travellers pulled on to the site on Sunday and that since their arrival people living next to it had been plagued by noise and nuisance.

"The fact there are no refuse-collection facilities, running water or toilets is a big hygiene worry," he said.

"This is a high-tax-rate council tax band. We didn't move here to have a travellers' site next to us.

"There should be special designated sites in Leeds where travellers can go and have access to running water and proper toilets. I'd be more than happy for some of my council tax to go towards that."

Nigel Tapp, from Allsopp & Co, said his client was aware of residents' concerns.

"My client knows about the problem," he said. "We've taken more than 30 calls from residents since Monday and we are trying to get a court order to move them on as soon as possible."

He also said the sale of the factory was imminent and should be completed by the end of this month. But he declined to reveal the identity of the buyer or what the land would be used for.

Mr Tapp said: "We understand people don't want an empty factory next to them and we know there have been other problems there before the travellers such as kids using it as a skateboard park. But something will be happening there soon."

A Leeds City Council spokes-man said because the travellers were on private land it was the responsibility of the land agents to take action.