STEPS have been taken by New Milton Town Council to prevent public land being taken over by travellers.

The council has acted swiftly after it suffered a double invasion at Fawcetts Field in late August and early September which threatened parking for the New Forest Marathon.

While one lot of travellers argued with bailiffs who had given them their marching orders, other members of the group sneaked their caravans on to an adjoining field.

They eventually left voluntarily after receiving a court summons for a possession order leaving councillors and marathon organisers breathing a huge sigh of relief.

On October 1, town council finance and general purposes committee members agreed to spend up to £7,000 on heavy duty chains and secure padlocks to prevent a repetition and to seal up the gateway of the overspill car park through which the travellers originally entered Fawcetts Field at the end of August.

The work was approved by full council on October 15 and is now under way at a cost of just under £5,000.

Vulnerable entrances being made secure are at Fawcetts Field, Ashley recreation ground, Fernhill cricket ground, Ballard Lake and the Grove Road entrance to Long Meadow at Barton-on-Sea.

Amenities committee chairman Cllr Goff Beck said there had been three incursions onto council property by travellers in recent years.

People living nearby felt intimidated and rubbish was left strewn around and had to be collected when they left.

This summer it cost the council more than £1,000 to evict the travellers.

"The eviction orders on this particular piece of ground are coming to an end," said Cllr Beck. "The work is currently under way, it has the blessing of the council and I hope it will remove the problem from New Milton.

"I feel that we've a duty to the taxpayer to protect the sporting venues in the town."