Shropshire Star

Travellers set up camp in Copthorne, Shrewsbury

Residents claim their lives have been made a misery after travellers with about 20 caravans pitched up in a field behind their homes. Residents claim their lives have been made a misery after travellers with about 20 caravans pitched up in a field behind their homes. The travellers turned up on Saturday lunchtime in a field behind Kenwood Gardens, in Copthorne, Shrewsbury. The field is owned by Shrewsbury Town Council and residents say despite calling police and leaving messages with the gipsy liaison officers at Shropshire Council the travellers remained there today. Read the full story in today's Shropshire Star

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Residents claim their lives have been made a misery after travellers with about 20 caravans pitched up in a field behind their homes.

The travellers turned up on Saturday lunchtime in a field behind Kenwood Gardens, in Copthorne, Shrewsbury.

The field is owned by Shrewsbury Town Council and residents say despite calling police and leaving messages with the gipsy liaison officers at Shropshire Council the travellers remained there today.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, said within minutes of the travellers arriving they had offloaded quad bikes, chickens, cockerels and dogs and had put up TV aerials, while children were running around, music was "blaring out" and generators were running. Councillor Peter Nutting, who represents the Copthorne ward on Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town Council, said he was trying to establish why gipsy liaison officers had not answered their mobiles over the weekend.

He said he had spoken to the town council clerk and Tom McCabe, director of development services, at Shropshire Council.

He said: "I expect action to be taken very quickly. I have retrieved the lock and chain from the gate and they have clearly been cut with bolt cutters so access was gained improperly."

Richard Ewels, for West Mercia Police, said officers had received a number of calls from residents. He added: "The police have monitored the situation over the weekend."