Travellers have moved on a playing field in Little Lever, with around three or four caravans parked up on the site.

Local residents believe the Travellers are among the community forced to leave their permanent site at Moses Gate after an eviction notice was served early this month.

Since then a number of Traveller families have been moving from site to site, including in Breightmet on Darcy Lever.

Now Travellers are on Meadow Close Playing Fields, at the back of Meadow Close in Little Lever.

A local resident and former councillor is calling for an end to the game of 'cat and mouse', where the council is issuing eviction notice after eviction notice to move Travellers on.

He has contacted Bolton Council with his concerns.

A court ordered a three-month closure because, of what the council and police describe as, the 'persistent criminal activity linked to the site'.

Travellers said they were in the process of appealing the order.

The order has been enforced by Bolton Council with all residents leaving the site - with officers saying those impacted will be "offered a comprehensive support package".

 

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But Travellers have previously told The Bolton News they have been left with nowhere to go and want to stay in Bolton for the sake of their children, who are in local primary schools.

Bolton Council says support for the Travellers includes access to reserved temporary accommodation and measures to ensure there is no disruption to school attendance.

The council, in consultation with Greater Manchester Police, applied for the closure order citing a series of incidents at the site involving drugs, serious violent crime, and firearms.

Former councillor Sean Hornby told The Bolton News: "I was contacted by a local resident concerned about Travellers moving on to the site.

"Many years ago I suggested we implement a policy where an eviction notice applies to the whole of council land, it speeds up the process.

"What is happening is not good for the Travellers either, they are just moving from one site to another.

"The situation needs resolving soon."

Bolton Council say they are aware of the Travellers camp and will carry out welfare checks before beginning the legal process to secure a direction to leave.