An unlawful Traveller encampment has been moved on after temporarily setting up camp on a town’s playing fields.

Police said they were aware of the “unlawful incursion” on the Memorial Field in Paddock Wood yesterday and were dealing with the issue.

PC Connor Geelan told the town’s residents in a communication “please be assured that this will be my main focus this weekend.”

An unlawful encampment was reported to have moved on-site on Saturday morning (July 28) with atleast three mobile homes.

But by the afternoon, Paddock Wood Town Council, which owns the playing field, served them with an eviction notice requiring them to leave by 4pm today (July 28).

It’s understood they left voluntarily before that time but it is unknown where the moved on to.

Their arrival follows a similar incursion reported on a field near Ito Way in Gillingham earlier this week.

Under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, police in England and Wales were given new powers to address harms caused by unauthorised encampments and new guidance was published.

It comes amid a chronic shortage of gypsy and traveller sites across the UK.

Tunbridge Wells council has been approach for further information.