Travellers operating house and garden clearance services are back in the borough, dumping huge piles of rubbish which cost thousands of pounds to clear.

Last summer Addiscombe Cricket Club were faced with a £8,500 bill, when 117 tonnes of house clearance rubbish was dumped on the car park of their Sandilands ground.

The club were also forced to install new fencing and height restrictions at their ground to stop it happening again.

Now the appearance of several huge piles of rubbish on land around the borough has prompted fears that a similar group is advertising clearance and leaving local authorities or private land owners to foot the removal bill.

Norbury resident Clare Alonge has seen a Merton Council field behind her Colebrook Road home become a dumping ground, after travellers using up to six vehicles broke a gate to gain entry.

She said: "It's a very large area and the longer it takes to move these people on and remove the rubbish, the more chance there is of rats and vermin making their home behind our houses."

"At the moment we can't allow our kids into the garden because of all the swearing."

Where travellers are staying on site, it can often take up to three weeks for a council to get an injunction to have them removed.

Croydon Council is currently arranging removal of material from land beside Stanley Technical Boy's High School in South Norwood.

A spokesperson said: "We are aware of the problem at Stanley Tech where quite a lot of material has accumulated and we are arranging to have it removed.

"We are urging people to ensure they arrange suitable disposal through a reputable company."

May 1, 2003 10:00