CONCERNED locals claim travellers are dumping ‘tonnes’ of rubbish at their camp near Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

The travellers denied dumping the waste and most of them had reportedly left the site by 1pm today (August 19).

Witnesses say only one caravan remains at the camp, which sits between the hospital and Crowle roundabout on the B4636.

There were two caravans and three other vehicles at the road side camp yesterday, with mounds of garden waste piled up nearby.

Concerned resident Mike Sutton, 70, from Droitwich, thinks the rubbish came from the traveller camp.

“They are dumping trees and hedges which I presume they are cutting down,” he said.

“The garden refuse is piling up on the side of the road.

”They have been there for about two weeks, I have to drive past it four to five times a week.”

But a mother-of-four living at the camp said she feels travellers are unfairly judged by residents.

“We haven’t tipped that rubbish, we will get the blame for it though,” she said.

“A lot of people go past us and take pictures like we are animals but we are not.

“We get horns beeping late at night when the children are in bed. People are not friendly, it’s normal for us.

“We will stay here however long we can stay, until the council move us one as it’s their land.”

The mother said the garden waste was there when she arrived two days ago.

She insisted that all of her rubbish was in bin bags, ready for the council to collect.

The woman told the Worcester News she does not trust reporters and did not want to be photographed, threatening to call the police.

“We are very private people,” she said.

Mark Edwards, waste management officer at Wychavon District Council, encouraged residents to check waste carrier licences before letting people clear rubbish from their property.

“We are aware that some piles of green waste have appeared on the verge of the B4636 and this will be cleared shortly," he said.

"Should any evidence come forward as to the source of the waste we will take the appropriate action. We encourage residents to report fly tipping on our website."

Worcestershire County Council own the land and say they have taken the appropriate action, with the group now moving off the site. 

West Mercia Police say they have not received any reports in relation to the camp.