Hundreds of travellers have illegally set up camp at a historic beauty spot – just feet away from a war memorial.
Around 50 caravans and 4x4s swarmed onto the popular Barr Beacon site in Great Barr, near Birmingham, late on Friday night.
Council chiefs served an eviction notice to remove the 120-strong convoy, which is believed to have come from London and the south of England.
The caravans are also close to the 113-year-old war memorial which was erected to honour soldiers from the Boer Wars.
Hundreds of travellers have illegally set up camp at a historic beauty spot – just feet away from a war memorial
The caravans are close to the 113-year-old war memorial which was erected to honour soldiers from the Boer Wars
Residents living nearby say the group cut through metal gates before flooding onto the site which is popular with families and dog walkers.
Concerns have also been raised over the piles of rubbish mounting up on the 60 acre green belt site.
Local resident and dad-of-two John Willaimson, 45, said: ‘Why the council don’t do more to stop the travellers I don’t know.
‘They clearly know Barr Beacon is a soft touch and the council and police and pretty much powerless to stop them.
‘These people have no respect for the land they use. They leave rubbish, faeces, nappies, gas canisters and god knows how many rubbish bags, just everywhere.
‘I sympathise to an extent with travellers because they need somewhere to call home and more needs to be done but they do themselves no favours by wrecking beauty spots.
Around 50 caravans and 4x4s swarmed onto the popular Barr Beacon site in Great Barr, near Birmingham, late on Friday night
Council chiefs served an eviction notice to remove the 120-strong convoy, which is believed to have come from London and the south of England
‘The fact they’ve set up camp in the shadow of the war memorial adds insult to injury. Much more needs to be done to protect these landmarks and monuments.’
More than 700 local people have signed a petition calling on Walsall Council to issue a permanent injunction banning travellers from moving onto the site.
Councillor Adrian Andrew said: ‘If we can’t protect our war memorial, then it’s a shocking state of affairs. It is a disgrace. It is disgusting. There are 50 of them.
‘I hope they at least respect the war memorial and the people who have fought for our freedom. Something needs to be done to stop this continuously happening.’
Councillor, Chris Towe, added: ‘They are running us ragged. They have been on Doe Bank, Barr Beacon and Wood End and that is just in my ward.
‘We have got to do something to stop this, they are just moving from one place to the other.
‘It is a terrible thing to say but it appears they are above the law and can just do whatever they want. It is a nightmare and a major inconvenience to residents.
‘Our hands are tied behind our backs as well because we have to follow due process, there is nothing else we can do.
Residents living nearby say the group cut through metal gates before flooding onto the site which is popular with families and dog walkers
More than 700 local people have signed a petition calling on Walsall Council to issue a permanent injunction banning travellers from moving onto the site
‘Social care has to go out, the legal team goes and then we have to get a court order which costs £200. When they do go we then have a massive clean-up.’
A spokesman for Walsall Council said: ‘We are aware of the unauthorised encampment at Barr Beacon.
‘Our community protection officers have attended the site and will continue to follow the agreed council and West Midlands Police joint protocol to secure the land back as soon as possible.’
A section 77 notice has now been served on the travellers asking them to leave.
Councillor Chris Towe said: ‘As of today, a section 77 notice has been served on the group. If they still don’t move then a section 78 will be served on them.
‘Basically instead of asking them to leave we will then tell them to. Either way I expect them to be gone by Thursday afternoon.
‘I am pleased about this and will be even more pleased when they are gone but I am really annoyed that they are even here in the first place.
‘The problem is where do they go after they move on? Another councillor will be speaking about this from a different ward next week I am sure.’
It is not the first time travellers have targeted the site. In December 2015 around 150 moved onto the land before being forced to move.
In June this year, 25 caravans set up an illegal camp on open space just off Beacon Road, over the Bank Holiday weekend.