TRAVELLERS who set up camp in the cliff top car park in Penarth recently have been evicted.

The group of six caravans arrived on Thursday, April 21 and set up an "unauthorised encampment" which temporarily closed the car park.

Representatives from the Vale of Glamorgan Council and South Wales Police were on site that afternoon to speak with the occupants and the group was asked to vacate the site as soon as possible.

A temporary closure sign was placed in the car park while the caravans remained on site as the council assured the public they were working "quickly and directly" to remove the travellers.

After the travellers missed a deadline to leave on Monday (April 25) morning, the council began the process of pursuing a court order to force them to move.

But on the evening of Tuesday, April 26, the travellers were moved on and council workers are presently on site to prepare it for re-opening.

On Wednesday morning (April 27) a council spokesman said they expected the car park to be reopened by midday.

The clean up was completed and the car park has now been successfully re-opened.

The issue had been discussed with police at full town council on Thursday, April 21 as Sergeant Wayne Lock answered councillors' questions on the subject.

He said he had been called to the site but there had been no specific issues reported concerning the travellers.

Councillor Clive Williams had conveyed the concerns of residents over the encampment but he made the point that there was not currently any signage in the area that prevented overnight or caravan parking.

An official Vale council statement said: "A clean-up operation has taken place to ensure that no rubbish has been left at the site.

"The council would like to thank residents and the general public for their patience, as we undertook the procedures necessary to clear the car park."