The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Travellers ‘run amok’ on empty Angus land
Travellers have been moved on from a site in Arbroath after residents complained of being “totally scunnered” at noise and environmental damage.
It is claimed the Travellers dumped toilet waste in woods and damaged newly planted trees.
One local said they dismantled the barrier to gain access to the grassy area at the back of the housing at Little Cairnie.
The resident continued: “Since then they have run amok.”
The group spent 10 days camped by the former hospital at Little Cairnie but have now departed following monitoring by Angus Council and gates to the area have been padlocked.
Travellers have been moved on from Arbroath land after a 10-day stay behind a former town hospital.
Locals said they had been “totally scunnered” by the round-the-clock noise caused by the encampment near the old Little Cairnie site.
They have claimed the Travellers dumped toilet waste in nearby woods and damaged trees planted earlier this year by the local authority.
Gates to the site have now been padlocked after around 10 caravans left the site yesterday.
Pauline Jackson, of Elmbank Crescent, said: “As far as I know they haven’t come her before, but they arrived around 10 days ago.
“More and more vehicles arrived until there was a group of around a dozen caravans.
“They dismantled the barrier to gain access to the grassy area at the back of the new housing at Little Cairnie.
“Since then they have run amok.
“I have seen them dumping toilet waste during the day into the adjacent wooded area, which can be seen from the popular path in the woods.
“They also lit several fires very close to the woods and I witnessed youngsters destroying young trees which Angus Council planted back in February this year.”
“They had a noisy petrol generator which was left on constantly, and there was loud music a lot of the time.
“Myself and neighbours I’ve spoken to were totally scunnered by their behaviour and disrespect for others and the environment. We were really getting fed up and had contacted the council and police but felt they weren’t interested,” added Pauline.
“It was quite intimidating, especially for some of the older residents.”
An Angus Council spokesman said: “Angus Council were aware of the encampment and were monitoring in accordance with our policies and procedures.”
The area of ground occupied by the group had been a planned site for an extension to Arbroath cemetery provision.
However, £160,000 plans were dropped in 2019 after officials said investigations had shown the land to be unsuitable for the proposed Elms natural burial ground.