NEWPORT council workers spent hours cleaning up rubbish left by travellers who illegally set up camp in a city park.

Work to remove the waste, including tree branches and builders’ rubble, left in hedgerows near the Lysaght development at Blackash Park, Lliswerry, cost the authority £211.

A city council spokeswoman said this emphasised the need for a properly managed, official transit site, which would help the council deal with the issue of unauthorised encampments.

She added: “However, the council believes that it is important not to stereotype gypsies and travellers as many members of these communities who visit Newport behave in a responsible manner.

“Families already resident in the city pay for their waste collections like all other households.”

The travellers moved onto the site, which is due to become the new home of Lliswerry AFC, around July 26.

Council officers visited the group during the week beginning July 30 and they moved off on August 2.

Lliswerry councillor Allan Morris said he was angry about the group making so much mess.

He said: “They have trespassed in a kids’ play area during the summer holiday and they have left a mess that people in the area will have to pick up the cost for.”

A Newport council committee is conducting a review of areas in the city suitable for gipsies and travellers.

Welsh Government rules state all councils must have a designated site for gipsies and travellers and the council must include them in its draft Local Development Plan to be adopted in 2014.