OXFORDSHIRE County Council says it has started the 'legal procedure' to move on travellers who have set up camp on a Kidlington playing field.
More than a dozen caravans parked up next to the playground and community football pitches in Ron Groves Park on Wednesday night.
The camp set up on the other side of the road from Thames Valley Police headquarters - it's not yet known if officers have visited.
Members of the camp were reportedly seen riding vehicles across the football pitches after moving onto the land at around 9pm.
This morning Kidlington Parish Councillor and County Councillor Maurice Billington decsribed the site as a 'tip'.
An Oxfordshire County Council spokesman said: “The land in question is owned by Kidlington Parish Council and an officer from the county council has visited to provide assistance.
"We have started the legal procedure by issuing a landowners notice in relation to trespass on land owned by the parish council along with a code of conduct.
"This is the first step in returning the site to normal and, while we would hope that the travellers move on shortly, an application will be made for a court order which would set a date for when the site must be vacated.”
According to reports on social media the group gained entry by cutting through a chain on the gate of the park, which is run by Kidlington Parish Council.
@TheOxfordMail 'travelers' have moved into Ron Groves Park in Kidlington. They even cut the chain on the gate with bolt cutters to gain entry.
— Matt Wennington (@MattWennington) 19 June 2018
Councillor Maurice Billington said he spoke to the group yesterday evening after receiving calls from concerned residents.
He said: "I received a lot of calls from residents last night so I went straight out to speak to them.
"I asked how long are you going to be here and intitally they said three weeks, but then they said they'll leave on Thursday (tomorrow).
"They said they wouldn't make any mess but this morning it's a right tip.
Mr Billington, added: "They were riding around the football pitches on motorbikes last night - a lot of money was spent on those pitches."
The camp is the latest in a number of traveller settlements to spring up in Oxfordshire which have cost councils thousands of pounds in eviction fees and clean-up costs.
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