'Up to 30 caravans' have been set up on Court Recreation Ground by travellers, eight days before Epsom Derby begins.

A witness said he was walking through the park with his wife when he noticed the group breaking into the rec.

He said there were up to thirty caravans, and that the travellers bent bars, allegedly breaking and entering the recreation ground.

"It's a week before Derby day and Epsom is overrun with Travellers," he said. "It happens every year but I am sure it is getting worse.

"Maybe I should get a caravan and pitch up wherever I want - half of Epsom can't use the Rec now; it's right by a children's park.

"There is a serious number of caravans. They'll turn the Rec into a bombsite."

Epsom and Ewell Borough Council has begun its process for dealing with the travellers.

A spokesman said: "We are aware of the unauthorised encampment that arrived yesterday evening and set up in Court Recreation Ground.

"We have started the statutory process we have to follow."

The process involves visiting the site, then possibly serving a formal notice, which usually takes a day, requiring the travellers leave within 24 hours.

If the encampment remains, the next step is obtaining a court order; it can be several days until a hearing is arranged.