TRAVELLERS have left rubbish and excrement in a field where they set up an illegal camp.

Now taxpayers will be footing the clean-up bill.

The travellers left the Colchester Council-owned site in Severalls Lane, Colchester, on Thursday, at 3pm, after spending eight days there.

They had previously been threatened with eviction from a field in St John’s Close.

Rubbish, including bikes, broken glass and a gas cylinder, have been left at the Severalls Lane site and excrement and toilet roll has been left in Salary Brook, which runs along the field’s boundary.

Gerard Oxford, High Woods councillor, said: “It is appalling the amount of rubbish and damage that has been left here.

“Not only is the field an utter mess, but a mess was also left at St John’s Close after travellers were evicted.

“What is really disturbing is Salary Brook has been used as a toilet. As soon as it rains, that will flow into Ardleigh Reservoir.

“It will be the taxpayer who picks up the tab for clearing the site and it will cost thousands of pounds.”

He added that 6ft-high gates to the field had also been removed.

It is also understood neighbouring farmer David Isted could lose five acres of hay – valued at £10,000 – after human waste was found across the field.

Farmer Tracy St Clair Pearce, 50, who had her shotguns seized by police following an altercation with four men at her neighbouring rare breed farm on Good Friday, said she was shocked by the state the field had been left in.

She said: “I can’t believe the mess that has been left here – it is unbelievable. The field was clear eight days ago.

“I am relieved and ecstatic that the travellers have gone.

“It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I can now put my livestock back into their normal paddocks.”

A Colchester Council spokeswoman said workers would be clearing the land over the weekend.

No one was available to comment on whether the authority would try to pursue the travellers for the costs.

When travellers left the site in St John’s Close, they accused residents of dumping rubbish after they had left.

A county court hearing is still due to take place on Wednesday, at which the council will seek to obtain a possession order on the land.

The order will enable the council to remove any future travellers more efficiently.