THE group of travellers on East Overcliff Drive near Bournemouth seafront continue to remain onsite almost a week after they moved onto the land.

Many of the group have been at the Monkey Island site since around 7.30pm last Monday, June 15.

A spokesperson for Bournemouth council said the legal process to gain repossession of the land was under way and the unauthorised encampment was being visited and monitored daily.

One resident, Alex, who did not want to give his last name, believed some of the travellers had moved one of the boulders placed on the land to prevent vehicles driving onto the land.

He added: "I normally go jogging through that area and on Wednesday night, there were a few kids playing between the rubbish on the ground and kicking nappies around. "It doesn't phase me as I will still go running in that area regardless, but normally I would run on the grass where the caravans are.

"It wasn't very nice to see. People shouldn't be parking on the grass because the boulders are there. They just don't have any respect for the area.

"It must have been a bit of an effort to get one of those boulders off the ground and when I went past, there was kids laying on the rock.

"Why they were even allowed to stay there is well beyond me."

Comments have been opened on this story but please note: Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers are legally recognised as ethnic groups, and protected by the Race Relations Act. Please keep your comments to this particular incident and do not generalise. Thanks for your co-operation.