GAS canisters, mountains of bin bags, a washing machine and broken glass were among the ‘absolutely disgusting’ waste left behind when travellers left an Abingdon football field this week.

Images shared on social media show the extent of the damage done to the area with an estimated ‘15 to 20 lorry loads’ of junk deposited at the site.

'It just keeps happening' - frustration as travellers STILL at football field

The fleet of about 20 vehicles finally moved on from Barrows Hill, off Audlett Drive, at approximately 5pm on Wednesday – almost one week after they were ordered to vacate the land.

Oxford Mail:

Len Lambe, who lives nearby, said the field and surrounding woodland had been ‘adorned with used toilet paper’ and the white lines on the pitch also appeared to have been churned up by quad bikes.

ALSO READ: Abingdon car park 'out of use' as travellers move in

The 78-year-old described the attitude of the travellers as 'contemptuous', adding: "Along with the rest of the rubbish there were loads of council leaflets with the code of behaviour – including warnings not to leave a mess behind – on them. They are a law unto themselves."

Oxford Mail:

Pictures of the rubbish were shared on the Radley Village Facebook page by a resident who called it 'absolutely disgusting'.

They show chunks of trees and branches, large piles of bin bags, two gas canisters, as well as broken glass and toilet paper strewn across the football pitch.

People expressed anger over the state of the field, with Stuart Morris suggesting the only solution was to permanently block access.

Oxford Mail:

He wrote: "What they need to do down Audlett Drive is put up a proper fence with concrete posts and metal poles.

ALSO READ: 'Chaos' as traveller encampment hooks up to other people's electricity

"Then make the gate big enough to get a sit down mower through but too small to get cars and caravans through.

"It might cost a couple of quid, but not as much as keep going in there three-four times a year and cleaning up van loads of rubbish."

Oxford Mail:

It comes after the travellers ignored an order to leave the land by midday on Thursday, prompting frustrated neighbours to call for more to be done to prevent illegal encampments.

An eviction notice was due to go before Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Police get more powers to move travellers out of area

Oxfordshire County Council was notified of the travellers’ arrival on Thursday, March 28, with the council’s Gypsy and Traveller service visiting the site the next day.

The group was issued with a formal notice that they were trespassing and told the council code of conduct, while welfare and health checks were completed.

Oxford Mail:

On April 2, the travellers were served with a direction to leave by 12pm on Thursday, April 4.

The barrier at the entrance of the car park has now been closed and the padlocks and chains at each end reconnected.

A notice to leave from May 2018 is still posted at the site, from when travellers trespassed last year.

The Government is set to give police more powers to deal with illegal encampments but Abingdon and Oxford West MP Layla Moran said the current approach was 'reactive not proactive'.