A LARGE Gypsy gathering in Darlington is progressing without major problems, police confirmed today.

Hundreds of caravans arrived in the town yesterday for a gospel-themed meeting, set to last four days.

A large marquee set up on a field close to the A66 is currently playing host to a number of speakers who are on site to preach the word of the gospel to members of the travelling community.

Inspector Kevin McCarthy of Darlington Police said that the event, organised by the worldwide Light and Life Mission, was not causing concern but was being monitored.

He said: “We have had traffic officers on the scene to make sure everything is safe and to monitor safety. There have been a few problems with vehicles turning right out of the field across traffic.

“It has not caused any danger but it potentially could, so we have spoken to the manager of the field about it and we have also asked people to move their cars from the hard shoulder.”

He added: “As with any large event, we are there to check and make sure everything is safe.”