DISGUSTED parents were kept away from a popular children’s play area after travellers allegedly left human excrement littered across the floor.

Essex Police shut the Jubilee Field play area, in Walton, after a group of caravans pitched up on land off Naze Park Road.

The travellers remained at the green for a week from July 12, until last Friday.

The Essex Police traveller engagement team served the group with a notice ordering them to leave.

A spokesman said: “We were called to an unauthorised travellers encampment in Naze Park Road.

“We received a complaint about the behaviour of people within the encampment on July 19.

“Notices were issued on July 19 and the encampment left the same day.”

Halstead Gazette:

Walton councillor Delyth Miles branded the group’s behaviour “disgusting.”

She said: “It is a popular little park and I have had a number of residents say they haven’t been able to take their children there.

“I’ve used it myself while I was looking after a neighbour’s grandchildren recently and it’s a lovely area. This is disgusting. I am told it is adult faeces, which I find really disappointing.

“I know we don’t want to tar all travellers with the same brush and we get good and bad people in all walks of life.

“But I would say going on the evidence and facts, this is quite wrong and totally unacceptable.

“I am not targeting all travellers, but the facts are they have left this place absolutely filthy.”

Tendring Council, which maintains the play park, had staff on site over the weekend to clean the area while it remained closed to the public.

Travellers often pitch up caravans at the open green off Naze Park Road during the summer.

Mrs Miles said: “This was human excrement left on the tarmac, on the base of the play area. What possible excuse could anyone have for doing this?”