Travellers are turned back
PIRELLI STADIUM STAFF BAR WAY AS CARAVANS RISKED HALTING WORK OF JAB CENTRE
TRAVELLERS tried to move onto a Burton car park that is being used as a vaccination centre – but were quickly moved on.
Several caravans managed to get on to the car park at the Pirelli Stadium, home of Burton Albion, at around 5.45pm on Thursday, but were quickly asked to move on - and did so.
Staff from the club confronted the travellers and called police as caravans arrived at the site off Princess Way, Stretton.
Ben Robinson, Burton Albion’s chairman, said he was told at the scene that about 40 more caravans were due to arrive, which would have meant yesterday’s vaccination programme would have had to have been cancelled had they been successful, he said.
The chairman said: “It’s a really busy day this morning at the Pirelli Stadium vaccination centre but without the support of the police today’s programme would not have taken place due to a group of travellers arriving at tea-time last night and parking several caravans on our car park and telling us another 40 were about to arrive and they knew the law and how long it would take to get them evicted.
“The police arriving so quickly ensured that no more could enter our site and, after lengthy conversations, the police managed to persuade them to leave. Thank you.”
At the time they arrived, the staff were preparing to close the offices for the day and the 3G pitches were being used by young people who were training.
Mr Robinson said the staff managed to quickly block the entrance to stop more getting in but it meant parents picking up the youngsters were also trapped in the car park.
He said: “I am sorry that this blocked Princess Way while we were dealing with it and the mums and dads who had to wait in the car park for over an hour as they couldn’t get out. I would like to thank the police for their prompt arrival and action.
“I would also like to thank the many volunteers who have come in to man the entrance to the car park to make sure that these people don’t come back.”
Mr Robinson said overnight security was brought in after the incident and will be in place over the weekend to stop travellers from trying to return to the site.
It comes after travellers moved on to Shobnall Fields in Burton on Tuesday and were moved on on Thursday.