Staff at a Bradford nightclub are having to take legal action against a group of travellers who have set up home on their car park.

About ten caravans, 15 vans and two wagons arrived on the site at The Maestro in Manningham Lane on Wednesday.

Now Rank Entertainment, the owners of the club, say they are planning to issue an eviction order to get the group of gipsies to move on.

But the travellers claim they have nowhere to go after being moved on from a supermarket in Keighley.

Duty manager Craig Watt said: "When I first arrived at work I saw all the vans and thought the club was being robbed.

"I was so shocked and I immediately phoned the police and the council but because it's private land there is nothing they can do.

"All they can do is to help us enforce the eviction order when it is issued in 24 hours.

"It's causing a public nuisance as everyone driving past is stopping to have a look and the travellers themselves are using the area to sell rugs.

"The club isn't open until today but we want them moved as soon as possible.

"All the staff are completely amazed as it's the first time it's ever happened in the seven years the club has been here."

The club is also used as a car park for DSS staff from an office in Manningham Lane.

"All the staff were so annoyed as they couldn't get anywhere near the car park," said Mr Watt.

"The sooner they are out of here the better."

Traveller Ellen McGee said: "We've done everything we can and we've offered to pay to stay here.

"We only want to be here a few days and then we'll move on.

"I can't see that we're doing any harm and we've got nowhere else to go."

A spokesman for Bradford Council's Gipsy Liaison Unit said: "As this is private land we are unable to take any action.

"We have advised the owners to apply for a County Court order to re-possess their land."

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