COUNCILLORS are again counting the cost of unofficial gipsy encampments in Bolton, after a clean up and protection bill last year totalling £50,000.

This week gipsies were moved on from a site in the Croal Irwell Valley, near to the cricket club in Hacken Lane, Darcy Lever.

They left behind them a mountain of debris which is having to be cleaned up at the expense of Bolton's council tax payers.

Ward councillor Robert Evans said: "They were down there for about two weeks but to move them on we have to go through the courts which takes time. And then there's the expense of the clean-up operation afterwards. It's the same old story."

Cllr Anthony Connell added: "I received a number of complaints from residents who were concerned about the gipsy encampment.

"I believe they were originally parked illegally on Leverhulme Park and when they were moved on they came here.

"This is an on-going problem and there are no easy answers."

Bolton council's landscapes chief John Shepley said that because gipsies had invaded the land in past years rocks had been placed around the area to protect it.

"But they just moved them to get on the land, " he said.

"Last year we spent £50,000 on a combination of cleaning up and protection measures. This is a cost the council has to pick up but because it is not in the budgets the money has to be found at the expense of something else which is, of course, a concern to us."

He also expressed his sympathy to local residents. "I can appreciate the frustrations of local residents but to move on the gipsies takes time. We have to go to court to take out an order and this can be a long process. But it's the law and we have to adhere to it."

He added that the clean-up operation would begin as soon as all the gipsies had vacated the site.

"We will also be reinstating the protection measures."

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