A LARGE group of travellers have caused shockwaves across Guiseley by setting up home on the old Silver Cross site.

A party of Irish itinerants travelling in around 24 vehicles arrived at the Back Lane side of the factory on Sunday evening.

The group, consisting of nine caravans, nine towing vehicles and six cars, is believed to have gained entry to the former pram manufacturer base by pushing down a perimeter fence.

Leeds City Councillor Graham Latty (Cons, Aireborough) was alerted to their arrival by concerned residents on Sunday night.

He said: "We've never had a problem of this nature before, we've been lucky in Aireborough.

"But this is a large group and what is particularly unfortunate is that they seem to have broken their way in.

"I spoke to the security company for the site on Sunday evening, and it's not the first time I've been asked to intervene - previously we have had kids piling rubbish in there and playing all sorts of games.

"The police, who can't do anything as the action has to come from the owners, tell me these people have said they'll be away as soon as they get a vehicle mended, but I'm afraid my reaction is 'pull the other one'.

"But the landowners have now taken the first steps to making a legal eviction so they should hopefully be gone soon."

That is a wish shared by many residents living nearby, who have had their peace disturbed by the travellers running power generators in the evenings.

Some, like self-employed Martyn Hutchinson, have only just moved into the area. He said: "During the day they tend to disappear and it's not too bad.

"But it's during the night that the problems arise, because the generators are running throughout, almost at full blast, which is pretty noisy. And everyone seems to start coming and going every five minutes - and they're not driving slowly.

"We appreciate they have to live somewhere, but after making all this investment in a property we just don't want travellers on our doorstep.

"The police did a marvellous job on Sunday when they arrived, but there's only so much they can do.

"We're paying one of the highest rates of council tax so I think the council should look into providing some proper accommodation, with sanitation, for the travellers."

Leeds City Council sent out Traveller Liaison Officers to talk to the group on Monday morning, to see what they needed to be able to move on.

Traveller Peter O'Farrell said the group, which had been heading for London, intended to leave 'by the end of the day' yesterday .

"We didn't plan to come here," he said, "but had no choice when we broke down.

"As soon as the van's working we'll be on our way."

But the group was still on the site yesterday.

This is not the first problem to hit the premises of the 125-year-old Silver Cross company, which went into liquidation in 2002 but now operates as Silver Cross UK Ltd from other sites in Yorkshire.

Around £100,000 of roof slates were stolen from the factory last May.

Neil Tapp of Allsops, the Leeds property company who are advisors to the site's owners, said he was 'disappointed' at the new development.

He said: "The travellers arrived on Sunday and have pushed a fence down to get in.

"We are taking urgent action in the county court to get an order to have them removed - and it should take about two days.

"We are extremely concerned and frustrated but it is a very difficult situation.

"It's very disappointing that there is such wanton vandalism in what is otherwise a relatively good area, but this won't affect the sale of the site.

"For people who deal in commercial property this is an unfortunate fact of life."

l There is no official travellers' site in the area, although several years ago Leeds City Council did propose creating one at Knotford Nook, between Otley and Pool. That plan was abandoned due to widespread local opposition.