POLICE and prison officials have pledged to work with residents in an effort to avoid a repeat of problems caused by travellers heading to Appleby Fair who set up an illegal camp near their housing estate.

Householders at Startforth Park, Startforth, near Barnard Castle, are bracing themselves for further disruption when travellers make their way back through Teesdale after this year's fair has concluded.

The land is owned by the Ministry of Justice, operators of the nearby Deerbolt Young Offenders Institution.

At a special police and communities together (PACT) meeting, Inspector Kevin Tuck explained that as it was private land, officers could not simply move the travellers on.

“It is civil trespass and the landowner should go and get an order to evict the travellers. That is not necessarily a quick process," he said.

“The problem is this is a migratory situation. Even if Deerbolt was up for the fight, the travellers will have gone of their own volition.”

Insp Tuck said the reality of the situation was that more than 110 caravans and hundreds of travellers had passed through Teesdale without incident.

“There has been no public order problems, no thefts and no damage. Last weekend was the quietest we have had for months.”

However, Startforth Park residents told the meeting there had been instances of travellers defecating in bushes – despite portable toilets being provided – and many felt intimidated.

It was also pointed out that many on the illegal site owned modern caravans, fitted with their own facilities, which could have been driven straight to Appleby without the need to stop.

Pete Walker, deputy governor at Deerbolt YOI, said a conscious decision had been taken not to take out an eviction order, but to liaise with the travellers to ensure disruption was kept to a minimum.

“We have built up a good relationship with people coming on and camping. They clean up and leave it in a reasonable condition. They moved in away from residents' fence lines," he said.

“It is not perfect and I am not condoning that they trespass on the land. I would not want travellers at the bottom of my garden.”

County councillor Richard Bell, said he would like to see a more proactive approach and urged Deerbolt to either take out an injunction to stop illegal camping or install physical barriers.

Insp Tuck and Mr Walker said they would continue to work as part of the Teesdale Residents and Travellers Forum to come up with a solution.