A group of travellers who have set up camp at a Rochester beauty spot have been told they have to leave by Monday morning.

A group of around 20 transit vans and caravans were seen driving into The Vines from Maidstone Road at around 9pm on Sunday.

Medway Council applied for a removal order which was served earlier today. The travellers have been told to leave the site by Monday morning.

The Mayor of Medway, Cllr Stuart Tranter and Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst went to the park, which is Grade II listed, when they found travellers had begun to move in.

Cllr Tranter said he arrived there before the police and that the travellers were allegedly rude and intimidating, and told him they could do as they wished because “this is England”.

He began taking photographs and claims a group of around 20 to 30 travellers surrounded him and told him to get out of the park.

Cllr Tranter, said: “Kelly and I are absolutely furious.

“This is not just a field this is in the heart of Medway’s tourist area.

"This is an area of outstanding beauty and it’s a place that people, especially in the summer holidays, want to have a picnic with their children or go for a jog and they are denied all that because of these people.”

He also said that as there were no council officers at the scene, Cllr Tranter agreed with police that he would become the temporary point of contact with the travellers.

“If any regular person had done any of these things they would be immediately moved, prosecuted or arrested" - Cllr Stuart Tranter

Cllr Tranter said he spoke to their leader and asked him to assure him, and the group of residents which had gathered outside the park, that they wouldn’t trouble them, or cause any harm.

He added: “If any regular person had done any of these things they would be immediately moved, prosecuted or arrested. I am not the legal expert on these matters, but it is obvious something is badly wrong with our laws and police powers.”

Ms Tolhurst said: "It's disappointing because it's one of our flagship parks.

"When they leave all their rubbish and excrement the community is going to have to clear it up.

"There are a lot of residents who are very worried."

It is thought the group of travellers moved into the park after leaving the Civic Centre car park in Strood.

A group had also set up camp at Borstal Recreation Ground, a few weeks ago.

The Vines is a short distance from Rochester High Street and is overlooked by Restoration House, where Charles II stayed on the eve of his restoration in 1660.

The park is known to be a favourite haunt of Charles Dickens and is featured in some of his novels.

The Vines has also been awarded a Green Flag.

A Medway Council spokesman said: “We have worked with the police and served the group with a direction to move on. We will continue to work with the police to monitor the situation.”

A police spokesman said: "Kent Police was informed of the presence of travellers at The Vines in Rochester at about 8.30pm on Sunday 14 August.

"Officers attended but no criminal offences were reported. The landowner is aware."