League football matches had to be moved to other pitches after travellers set up camp on playing fields.

About 10 caravans pitched up at the council-run Luton Recreation Ground in Capstone Road, Chatham – a beauty spot popular with children and dog walkers.

It's believed to be the same community who were on Beechings Way, Twydall, a children's playing field, until last Wednesday.

Gary Coster, fixtures officer for the Medway Area Sunday Football League, had to hurriedly find alternative grounds for teams which use the rec for home games.

He said: "It's a pain because at this stage we have to get all our games in before the end of the season.

"It's not just them pitching up there, but the mess they leave behind."

Darren Skinner, vice chairman of Pentagon FC, said his side had to transfer to Rainham Rec for their game.

"It's a pain because at this stage we have to get all our games in before the end of the season."

He said: "It's happened here before some years ago, but normally security is pretty good."

Medway Council took legal action to evict the travellers from Beechings.

The caravans had pitched up on the grass around the play area and in the car park by the community centre.

Medway Council said it had been made aware of a group of travellers at Luton Rec

Ian Gilmore,the council’s head of regulatory services, said: “We are following a civil legal process to move the group on as quickly as possible.”