Angry residents have accused the council of failing to do enough to stop travellers setting up camp on Keighley's premier park.

The outburst came after around 20 caravans and vehicles descended on Victoria Park last Thursday evening.

Travellers have converged on the site previously.

And one local resident, who did not want to be named, said the latest 'visit' should never have been allowed to happen.

She told us: "The devastation caused in the park the last time travellers were here was absolutely disgraceful. They left the place in a right mess.

"Bradford Council put up a wooden railing in the park to stop a repeat of this, with some posts that drop down to allow the fair in. But the workmen left a gap in the railing wide enough to get a double-decker bus through! It was a total waste of time and public money.

"If the railing had been installed properly we wouldn't have had this problem again."

The travellers were reluctant to talk to the Keighley News, but one said: "We're on our holidays. We'll only be here for a couple of days."

David Talbot, head of Parks and Landscape Services, said: "The fence at Victoria Park was erected to stop unauthorised use, following a gypsy encampment two years ago.

"At present we don't know how the gypsies entered the site, but we will learn from the experience and make sure that the fence is secured at all times, in particular when other legitimate users enter or leave the site."

Richard Wixey, Bradford Council's Director of Environmental Services, said: "We are aware of the encampment at Victoria Park.

"Our gypsy liaison officers have visited the site and legal proceedings are under way."