Poole Park: Woman in 'desperate plea' over encampment mess

A woman has made an emotional video saying she is "disgusted" by mess left by travellers at her local park.

Up to 40 caravans and other vehicles arrived at Dorset's Poole Park on Tuesday before leaving on Sunday.

A car was abandoned in the middle of a cricket pitch, rubbish was dumped in green spaces and human waste was deposited in the pond and lake.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council said it did not have powers to tackle such "antisocial" behaviour.

Resident Sarah Tanner posted a live Facebook video of herself in the park becoming visibly distressed as she described the mess.

She said: "I'm shocked. I'm actually disgusted with what I've just seen right now and I'm really upset.

"This is right where I work - it's really beautiful. Poole Park, for those who don't know, is stunning."

She said the mess was "completely unacceptable" and ended the video by asking "why, just why?"

Ms Tanner said the video was "a desperate plea to the councils and government to come up with a way we can work together with our visitors to prevent damage to our beloved parks".

There are no transit sites and no new travellers' pitches will be created in the county until at least 2022.

Poole Town Cricket Club, which is based in the park, said volunteers found glass bottles had been "not merely smashed but deliberately ground into small shards" so it would be "impossible" to pick up all the pieces.

The club thanked "superstar residents" who "collected at least 50 bags of rubbish" but said the council (BCP) would need to finish clearing up the other mess.

Mark Howell, deputy leader of BCP Council, said residents had experienced "antisocial behaviour" but said the authority was "constrained".

"The government does not give us enough powers to deal with Gypsies and travellers who are causing disruption," he explained.

Dorset Police said it had received a "number of reports" about the travellers, had attended the site and liaised with the council.

The group left the area at about 14:00 BST on Sunday.

Ringwood School in Hampshire, about 13 miles (21km) away, said it had been advised by police to shut on Monday as "a large number of the travelling community" had arrived at Ringwood Health and Leisure Centre car park and blocked access to the school.

Only 25 new Gypsy and traveller pitches have been created in Dorset since 2012, with more than 130 still needed, according to previous council calculations.

The BBC has approached the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for comment.