‘The mess they have left is just horrendous’

smashing a padlock from a gate to gain access to the site last Wednesday.

She said the lock was removed by men armed with an axe, a hammer and a jemmy.

“We have borne the brunt of it all,” she said.

“The mess they have left is horrendous. We’ve seen dogs roaming around, men urinating and one being sick. They have been out (to work) cutting trees and dumping them on the playing fields.”

She said car horns and generators could be heard all day and night, causing nearby householders “astronomical stress.”

The couple approached the travellers about children in their garden only to be told that all their little ones were tucked up in bed.

“After they said it we handed them an 18-month-old child we found in our garden,” said Mrs Wilson.

She said children had used the edge of their garden as a toilet on several occasions. Husband John, 56, described their ordeal as “horrendous” and a “week of hell”. He added: “I have been constantly chasing kids and dogs out of the garden. We found children squatting and defecating between the hedge and wall. I’ve had to clear up all the mess.” Although some travellers left on Tuesday, a number of caravans, vans and other vehicles were still there yesterday afternoon. Mr Wilson has called on Kirklees Council to improve security to prevent people accessing the site so easily in future. The council has previously confirmed that it had started the legal process to remove the travellers from the camp at the Sycamore Recreation Ground. The presence of the caravans and vans on the field has prevented sports being played on the fields. West Yorkshire Police – whose officers were spotted at the camp this week – has been approached for comment.