Traveller's funeral brings traffic to a standstill - Crawley

PARTS of the town centre were brought to a standstill last Wednesday as hundreds of Travellers descended on a church for a funeral.

Police were called in to direct traffic as cars were parked on pavements and in the middle of the road in Haslett Avenue West.

The funeral service was being held at St Francis and St Anthony Church for a traveller from Shipley Bridge.

Crowds watched as a carriage containing the coffin was pulled out of the forecourt by four white horses, adorned with pink feathers, at about 11.30am.

John Peters, 43, from Cantebury had been working on a refrigeration unit at the nearby McDonald's when the roads suddenly became jam-packed.

He said: "I walked out and there were cars and people everywhere. It's a good showing of people to be paying their respects."

But one shop worker, who did not wish to be named, said: "There were cars parked all over the streets and on pavements. It seems it's one set of rules for us and another for Travellers.

"The police and traffic wardens have done nothing about it."

After the funeral a wake was held at a pub in Horsham, which led to police being called and a fight breaking out.