POLICE chiefs and a senior councillor have condemned an ‘unsavoury’ incident where a large group of travellers are said to have used Newport city centre as a racetrack last month.

Jeff Cuthbert, police and crime commissioner for Gwent, said the incident on Saturday September 12 was “totally unacceptable”.

The incident was also raised by Cllr Debbie Harvey, cabinet member for culture and leisure, at a full meeting of Newport council this week.

Cllr Harvey said she had seen footage of a “young mother pulling her two children out of the way while they were hurtling down in their traps in the centre of town”.

“They were running red lights, it was causing chaos,” Cllr Harvey said.

“The police attended but they turned the lights off and then they still carried on into town.”

Superintendent Mike Richards, of Gwent Police, said the “unsightly” incident involved “a large number of travellers in the city centre riding around on pony traps”.

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Supt Richards said the force was “caught short” as they did not have intelligence about the incident.

“It was one of those one-off events that we did not have intelligence about,” he said.

“We believe these travellers came into the city from Swansea with horse boxes and established themselves in a car park in a pub in Duffryn.

“It was difficult for us to be able to respond quickly.”

At a Gwent Police and Crime Panel meeting on Friday, Cllr Mark Spencer said the “unsavoury” incident saw travellers use the city centre “as a racetrack with their horse and traps”.

Mr Cuthbert said police hoped the event was a “one-off occasion”, but he said they are monitoring for any repeat incidents.

“It was totally unacceptable, no ifs and buts about that,” he said.