A GROUP of travellers set up camp on a green belt site this weekend.

Police say 35 people in eight vans arrived at the Blue Circle site, Bromley Common, on Saturday afternoon.

The 34-acre site is made up of the former Blue Circle Sports Ground, the Crown Meadow Site allotment, a park and former agricultural land.

Travellers got into the site through a gate on the A21, which is believed to have been locked.

A spokesman for the travellers said: "We are tortured. The police and the council shove us from pillar to post and we have nowhere to go.

"We don't want to stay in laybys; it's dangerous for the kids."

He added: "We only want to stay three weeks and then we are going back to Dublin and will never return to England so long as there is breath in our bodies.

"We have only got three weeks left and if we can be left alone,we would be very happy.

"If there is anywhere they can offer us to go, we would be happy to pay to go there."

The spokesman said the family of travellers, who have been tree-cutting in Kent, cannot use the official travellers' site in Star Lane because of ongoing disputes.

He said: "It's different families. The English and the Irish don't mix. It's like oil and water."

The Blue Circle site belongs to property developer Asprey Homes, which is currenty appealing a rejected planning application to build affordable housing, a doctor's surgery, a playground and a bus stop.

Bromley Council's development control committee rejected the proposal on May 29 because the land is green belt.

A planning inspector opened the appeal at Bromley Civic Centre on July 23.

An Asprey Homes spokes- man said: "We will be doing everything within our power to evict the travellers, working in consultation with the police."

A Bromley police spokesman said: "We are currently liaising with the council to resolve the issue and ensure there is minimum disruption caused to all parties."