Hundreds of travellers have left rubbish and excrement in Roundshaw Open Space following a three-week long operation by police and Sutton Council to evict them.

Up to 300 travellers left in two phases on Tuesday and Wednesday leaving behind a large amount of rubbish, excrement and damaged property on the two fields where they were illegally camped.

Sutton Council has also accused the occupants of abusing its officials and throwing stones at employees as they sought to evict them from the site.

Ten traveller caravans first entered Roundshaw Open Space after breaking through a secure gate on June 16, but were then joined by up to 40 caravans in the days that followed.

Many residents in the area were concerned with the travellers fly tipping and local sports teams were frustrated that they had to delay, or move their sporting events to other locations.

A spokesperson from Sutton Council explained that with children on the site it has a legal duty of care to carry out welfare checks on them, which became more complicated as more travellers moved in.

The council recorded 114 children within the encampment.

Sutton Council sought legal advice and penned a court order to take possession of the land, supported by the police.

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This picture, taken by police helicopter, shows the size of the camp.

Notices detailing the court order were posted around the site and sent to every caravan last week.

When council officials and police officers engaged with the travellers they were met with hostility by some of the families, which included stones being thrown at them and being surrounded by large groups of travellers intimidating them.

Councillor Jill Whitehead, chair of the environment and neighbourhoods committee said: "With an unprecedented number of travellers involved, council officers and the police faced a very volatile and intimidating situation. Because of our legal obligation to as a local authority to check on the welfare of children, we cannot just go in and kick them off the site.

"If we did not follow this process including applying for a court order, then we would be open to a legal challenge that could result in compensation for the travellers, which would be simply unacceptable.

"There is no doubt that the behaviour of many of these travellers has been abhorrent. They have left a trail of destruction including broken locks and fly tipping, excrement, intimidation of council officers and the police and they have prevented residents from feeling safe in their park.

"Now our clean-up operation begins to return the park back to the high standard that our residents expect."

Bunds have been installed on the side of the open space bordering Croydon to deter the travellers who had previously used to cross over to another borough before coming back, which would then be treated as a separate incident where the checks would have to be started again.

Upon leaving the travellers dispersed and were seen driving towards Croydon, Bromley, Epsom and along the A23 and M23.

Police are checking the registration numbers of the travellers to see if they have valid insurance.