THOUSANDS of pounds have been “wasted” clearing up after travellers in Ringwood, claim the town council.

Following the departure of travellers from football pitches at Long Lane yesterday, the town council was forced to close the site to allow environmental cleaners in after human excrement was found.

The same group of travellers had to be evicted from both Carvers Recreation Ground in May and the football pitches at Long Lane this week.

And the cost of the clean-up has been calculated at around £10,000 including the installation of emergency measures at other open spaces, fees for the court service and bailiffs and lost revenue from the cricket club and other activities on Carvers.

The town council is also awaiting invoices from New Forest District Council for legal services and environmental cleaning for the area behind the Pavilion at Carvers.

Terry Simpson, town clerk at Ringwood Town Council said: “We reckon it is in the region of £10,000 – the cost of everything. Height barriers, clean-up, etc.

“That’s the cost of a youth worker for two days a week for a year or the cost of a slide in a play area.

“And what have the people of Ringwood got for that money? Nothing.”

The most recent encampment of travellers at some football pitches in Long Lane, saw 19 caravans and three tents arrive last Monday evening, although they were served with an eviction order and left last Friday.

A meeting of the council’s policy and resources committee last Wednesday saw town councillors call for a review of Hampshire Police’s policy in dealing with travellers.

The town council was unhappy an immediate eviction order was not issued when travellers moved onto Carvers last month although at the time Hampshire police said the order was not appropriate.

Mr Simpson said: “A stronger message should have been sent to the travellers.

“Effectively we were seen as a soft touch because we had not taken stronger action.”