A GROUP of travellers have said they have nowhere else to go and that they do not want any trouble after they parked up at a playing field.

A number of vehicles arrived at Doe Hey Park, in Cawdor Avenue in Farnworth, at around 6.25pm on Tuesday.

The group had previously been located on a playing field near Fern Street, Farnworth, before moving to the new location.

Residents contacted the police but the group was still there yesterday.

One of the travellers, Conya Brown, said that if they had somewhere else to go, she would go there.

The 40-year-old said: “We have some relatives, we are here to see them.

“We don’t want to stop here.

Bolton Council don’t do anything for the traveller people. The traveller site is full. We have nowhere else to go.”

Before coming to Farnworth, the group had been in Rochdale.

Another one of the travellers, who identified herself as Mrs Gavin, said: “The traveller site here is just not big enough.

“There should be more sites. We don’t want any trouble off anybody. We don’t know anyone that has anything against us. We’re clean, there’s no rubbish or dirt.

“We want our children to be in school and be educated, there’s just no room.”

Police visited the travellers yesterday afternoon and are believed to have taken down number plates of some of the vehicles.

When asked if they had encountered any trouble at Cawdor Street, Mrs Gavin said: “There was a guy who came over and said ‘what are you doing here?’ he was really kicking off.

“People look at us like we’re Aliens and we’re not human beings.”

Both Mrs Gavin and Mrs Brown are travelling with their children and Mrs Gavin said they will leave the area when they are moved on.

A group of travellers is still at the Fern Street field with another group on a field off Eastgrove in Sharples.

A council spokesman said that it is doing everything within its powers to remove the group and understands the frustrations of local communities and have asked police to use resources where possible

He added: “We are currently liaising with the group on Fern St to move them on and the group on Doe Hay Park has been served with directions giving them 24 hours to move, and if they do not we will apply for a court summons.

“We are also in court tomorrow to apply for an order to move the encampment at Sharples.

“We understand that most of the travellers who are coming to Bolton are passing through the borough. “We have a permanent travellers’ site in Farnworth, which there is an application process for and we are happy to assist with any valid applications.

“We are monitoring the situation continuously.”