A POOLE park which was repeatedly accessed by travellers last summer has been targeted once again.

Seven caravans and other vehicles pulled onto the car park at Baiter Park late afternoon on Monday.

Yesterday, the site - which was visited by council workers - was well established.

Meanwhile, some local residents and park-users spoke of their dismay at the encroachment, saying they hoped it wasn’t a sign of things to come.

The same area was the scene of three unauthorised encampments in 2018, which prompted Mike Randall - chairman of the Parkstone Bay Association - to write an open letter calling for action to the Borough of Poole (BOP).

Speaking on the latest encampment, Mr Randall said: “We have a golden opportunity now, with this unitary authority. We are all affected by these incursions month-by-month, surely there must be a way of the new authority getting its act together and to have some sort of common approach to this?

“They need to either find a travellers’ site and to take a commonality approach.

“Certainly this is something that has impacted on Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

“So when they put all their strategies together, there must be one to deal with travellers.

“This issue is not going to go away.”

One resident, who asked not to be named, told the Daily Echo, yesterday, that there was local concern about the latest encampment.

He added: “We don’t normally get them here this early in the year, I walked through where they are parked with my dogs earlier and it does feel intimidating.

“I’ve also seen a lot of cars coming into the car park, spotting them over there, then turning around and driving off.

“Maybe some of these people had been coming here for a walk, but decided against it.”

Another Baiter resident, speaking to the Daily Echo within hours of the travellers pulling onto the council land late Monday afternoon, said he approached the group to ask what they were doing, only to be given short shrift.

A BOP spokesman confirmed the unauthorised encampment of seven caravans.

They added: “Temporary toilets will be provided in accordance with council policy in order to reduce any contamination to the land.

“The site will continue to be monitored as part of the legal process for the removal of the travellers.”

Comments have been opened on this story but please note: any reference to gypsies or any racially offensive term will cause them to be closed and you may find your account suspended. Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers are legally recognised as ethnic groups, and protected by the Equalities Act 2010. Please keep your comments to this particular incident and do not generalise, or attempt to incite violence or hatred. Thanks for your co-operation.​