Medieval-style trenches WON’T stop travellers getting into our parks – they’ll always find a way, warn fed-up locals

7 comments 7 Next A COUNCIL has dug medieval-style trenches around its parks in a bid to deter travellers setting up camp – but fed-up locals have warned it won’t stop them. In the last few months, Birmingham has seen the ditches dug around three of its green spaces following a summer of chaos, leaving residents divided. 8 A council has dug medieval-style trenches around some of its parks to prevent travellers from illegally occupying them Credit: BPM 8 A travellers site on parkland near Daisy Farm Road and Maypole Lane in Birmingham Credit: BPM Media Advertisement The city has seen scores of travellers arriving in caravans, motorhomes and vehicles to set up camp, leaving behind mountains of waste and debris. Local officials would use legal routes to clear the caravans from public land, only for them to spring back up elsewhere in a frustrating game of “whack-a-mole”. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Email address Please provide a valid email. Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy You'll now receive top stories, breaking news, and more, straight to your email. Now, the city council has resorted to medieval inspired trenches which have been dug around the perimeter of Daisy Farm Park in Highter’s Heath and Manningford Park in Druids Heath in recent weeks Chinn Brook – with its meandering streams and attractive grasslands – has also seen a trench put in place while concrete blocks have been placed behind the park’s gates. Read more News DEATH CRASH Passenger 'heard moaning after cousin rammed teacher & dragged him for 1 mile' DEADLY DEFECT Call to BAN tumble dryers over 'fatal risk' after girl, 9, & dad die in fire 8 Concrete blocks placed behind a metal gate at the edge of a park in Chinn Brook Credit: Roland Leon 8 Angela Glen, 45, said the problems had ‘been constant for the last four years’ Credit: Roland Leon Things got so bad that volunteers from the Friends of Chinn Brook group went “on strike” after becoming fed up with being “used” by the Council to clear the waste left behind by the encampments. Volunteer Angela Glen, 45, said: “It’s been constant for the last four years with travellers arriving up to seven times a year. Advertisement “It is a nightmare. This summer I had to warn people not to come here with children because of the amount of human waste had made it environmentally unsafe. “They bag up rubbish and then chuck it deep into the bushes so their dogs don’t rip it open. The Council weren’t going after that waste so it was left to the Friends of the Park groups. Most read in The Sun THE SUN SAYS Burnham just meddles in minor issues rather than solve UK's major problems DRILL BURNY DRILL Drill 'full blast' Trump urges Burnham after gas field FINALLY approved COLIN ROBERTSON We're not burning like France YET, but quiet riots are stoking tinderbox UK KILLER PAROLED Evil killer who lured dad of her unborn child to his death to be RELEASED “In the end we felt the Council were taking the mick so we stopped,” she continued. “I would have preferred the trenches here to be deeper but there were complaints from a tree surgeon so we are where we are. The good thing is that it shows this new city council are listening to the locals and trying to make a difference.” Retired policeman Carl Stewart, 79, who has lived in a house backing onto the park for 69 years, said: “The trench is a bit of an eyesore. It might stop them coming in but knowing the travellers they will find a way. Advertisement “I’m not sure how they will cut the grass and if it doesn’t work then they will have spent a lot of money for nothing. “I certainly hope it works. The travellers cause a lot of trouble. I worry about leaving my house empty and don’t like walking the dog here because they have loose horses and loose dogs and it feels unsafe.” Danny Driscoll, 70, out walking his pocket bully dog Rocco, added: “Something has to be done because when the travellers arrive they just take over the place and no-one else can use it. My daughter-in- law is scared stiff of them and I won’t walk the dog here when they’re there. 8 Carl Stewart, 79, said the travellers cause ‘a lot of trouble’ Credit: Roland Leon 8 Residents have doubts around whether the new measures will prove effective Credit: Roland Leon Advertisement “I hope it works but knowing them they will smash down the gate and get on somehow. It’s what they do.” Over at Daisy Farm Park, the the local authority’s actions have been even more drastic – the trenches are deep and metal posts protecting the car park mean even regular cars have to enter with extreme caution. Self-employed gardener Steve Anderson, 57, from the Friends of Daisy Farm group, explained that the park was the only green space in the local ward and surveys showed that when the travellers are on the site, 80 per cent of locals stop using the park. He said: “We get anywhere between seven and 40 caravans at a time. The children’s playground is taken over by traveller children so no locals use it and there are other problems. The brook becomes an open air toilet and all bodily functions end up in the ditch. “They fling bags of rubbish into the bushes and there are used nappies everywhere. The thinking is that something new had to be tried. I am told that three bailiff visits cost the Council £20,000.” Advertisement Steve admitted that the car park posts had put off a lot of drivers but added: “Last Christmas the travellers came, cut the bolt on the overhead height restriction and took over the car park. We hope this will put them off. “I know people say that the travellers will always find a way and they will but to get over the trench they will need a mini-digger to level it off and the hope is that will either put them off or delay them so the police can respond before they get on.” For many others, however, the ability of the travellers to overcome any obstacle in their path made them pessimistic of the new approach. 8 Danny Driscoll, 70, said he wouldn’t walk his dog at Chinn Brook when travellers were there Credit: Roland Leon 8 Ditches at Druids Heath Credit: Refer to source Advertisement Down in Druid’s Heath where the third trench has been dug, locals are sceptical. Rick Harris, 63, a delivery driver out walking the heath with his two huskies, said: “The problem is that they’ve left a little gap and they’ll exploit it. It’s a big area to defend down here and I worry that in spite of their efforts there are a couple of gaps at either end. “I won’t walk here when they are there. The local kids don’t use the playground and it all happens in the summer when kids need to be outside. “This year they killed one of their horses and buried it over the back there. We had dead cockerels around the place. It’s massive disruption. They use this as a stop on their way to the Appleby Fair. “From what I have heard these trenches have worked elsewhere so only time will tell.” Advertisement Graham, an IT consultant, added he didn’t think the trenches would “make much difference”, saying: “I have seen how they operate. If they want something doing, they will just do it. “To be fair it is the best thing I have seen so far but what’s to stop them filling the hole. It will slow them down but stop them? I don’t think so.” Birmingham City Council said previously: “Increased encampment pressures, together with repeated damage to existing boundary infrastructure and access controls, have required the council to consider a wider range of preventative measures. RECOMMENDED STORIES “The use of ditches, bunds and other landscape interventions forms part of a broader toolkit of options and is implemented only where considered necessary, appropriate and site-specific. “The council remains committed to safeguarding public open spaces for the benefit of all users and will continue to review and monitor measures at individual locations.” Advertisement 7 comments 7