A GIPSY site has been almost completely abandoned following claims by residents that they had been harassed by police.

The National Gipsy Council had made an official complaint to North Yorkshire Police's chief constable, David Kenworthy, alleging that travellers at the Tara Park site in Malton were being victimised.

The council claimed that residents felt intimidated by police and were frequently harassed by officers. And yesterday it emerged that all but two of the 12 families there had left the site.

One remaining traveller said: "We're sick and tired of it because we're not allowed to live in peace. The police keep turning up and, for no reason, start going through people's stuff.

"They also come here in the middle of the night with their blue lights flashing and their engines running, waking up all the kids. It's a nightmare. People don't want to stand for it any longer so they have left."

Superintendent David Short, of Malton police, is investigating the National Gipsy Council's complaint.

He said: "If people feel aggrieved about police action we will look into that. On the other side of the coin, if people make a complaint about criminal behaviour by the gipsies we will also look into that."