Travellers dent Lions rugby club’s promotion bid - Cambridgeshire

From the Peterborough Telegraph

Promotion-chasing Peterborough Lions Rugby Club may be forced to cancel a key game after a group of Travellers set up an illegal camp on its Bretton ground.

Travellers in eight camper vans and vehicles moved onto a pitch at Bretton Woods, sometime overnight during Tuesday (9 April) and Wednesday.

They were able to enter the premises through a vandalised gate and set up camp in the middle of one of the pitches.

Bosses at the club, which needs to win the next two games to clinch a chance of promotion from the Midlands One league, say the Travellers are due to move on today.

But they warn that Saturday’s fixture against Market Rasen has been placed in doubt over fears the pitch could be damaged and there may be a risk of injury to the players.

Club chairman Andy Moore said: “Regardless of whether they move on or not, Saturday’s game is certainly in doubt at the moment.

“My concern is that the pitch could end up covered in rubbish and other debris and obviously we have to guard against players getting injured on our pitches.

“Part of the pitch that they have driven across was due to form the out-field of our cricket pitch for the summer season, so those preparations could be hampered too.

“It’s unfortunate in a sense, that the gate they entered through used to be padlocked, but was damaged.

“I fear that we could be facing a lengthy clean-up operation, but I really need these people to leave or be moved as soon as possible.”

Mr Moore added that it was the first time the club had encountered such a problem.

“I understand that the Travellers need somewhere to go but turning up on private land and sports pitches isn’t acceptable.”

“I’m very disappointed because it’s given us problems ahead of our final home game of the season which is usually a happy occasion.

“I have reported the incident to the council and I hope that it will take appropriate action.”

A spokesperson for Enterprise Peterborough said: “We can confirm that eight caravans and one motor home arrived at Bretton Lions Rugby Club pitch on Tuesday evening.

“The Travellers have informed us that they will vacate the pitch on Thursday morning. If they remain beyond this time, health and wellbeing checks will be done and eviction proceedings will begin.”