RESIDENTS are calling for extra measures to be put in place to stop travellers from setting up camp in a council car park next to their homes in Newquay.

Cornwall Council installed height restriction barriers and CCTV cameras to stop unauthorised encampments from being established each summer at the Tregunnel Hill car park after householders experienced crime and antisocial behaviour.

But that did not stop a group of travellers in eight caravans setting up home there between Friday, July 25 until Wednesday, July 30 after the height restriction barrier was damaged.

Residents experienced antisocial behaviour during the traveller’s stay and now fear they will have to endure further disruption unless measures are brought in to stop the them from gaining entry into the restricted area of the car park.

A resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “All the work the council did to keep out the travellers has failed.

“It looked to be relatively easy to lift the top of the height barrier to get through.

“There has been a lot of noise pollution and a smell of urine in the air. They have been trespassing in neighbour’s properties and causing nuisance behaviour.

“Once again, we had to close windows at night despite the humid weather as we couldn’t sleep because of the noise. We have to be extra careful making sure doors are locked even when we’re in the house. It is learnt behaviour from previous experiences because they have walked into resident’s properties on their own free will.

“This time around they were not the worst behaved group of travellers but local residents should not have to deal with it especially when it was recognised in the past this is an annual problem that needs to be resolved once and for all.

“Just when residents thought they had been saved from their summers being ruined it continues. The council needs to make improvements.”

A resident, who also wished to remain anonymous, added: “It is very frustrating and disappointing an unauthorised encampment has happened again despite the council introducing measures to stop it and councillors giving assurances it would not happen again.

“Travellers have been camping in the car park during the summer months every year since I bought the house seven years ago.

“This year my three-year-old son became scared and did not want to play in the garden as the teenagers stood on our wall and intimidated him. Their dogs bark all the time, they play music loudly and they are always shouting.

“They also came into our garden and tried the back door so we can’t keep it open at all.”

Seagulls ripped open rubbish bags that were left behind, which caused further mess.

Mayor Drew Creek, who is the Trenance Cornwall councillor, has asked Biffa to come and clean up the mess that was left behind and for officers to undertake urgent repairs to the barrier.

He said he will be discussing what other options there are for avoiding the “harrowing ordeal” for residents in the future

Cllr Creek said: “So I am actually really angry and frustrated the travellers were able to move onto the Tregunnel Hill car park.

“I spotted them pulling into the Park and Ride on Wednesday, July 23 and and flagged it with Cornwall Council officers and asked them to contact the Duchy of Cornwall as it is their land and then secure the Tregunnel car park and the skatepark overflow car park. I then rang the town clerk Andy Curtis at Newquay Town Council and asked him to secure our sites like the Killacourt and South Fistral, which he did.

“Cornwall Council officers essentially came back and said what is it you expect us to do. Suffice to say I am at my wits end with both officers and Cornwall Council’s apparent lack of urgency.

“I am also annoyed because understandably residents are angry and worried and were assured this would not happen again.

“We need a proper long-term prevention plan in place.

“Cornwall Council actually came to the town council to see if we had footage of Tregunnel Hill which they know we don’t.

“I have offered to place a CCTV camera there if Cornwall Council is happy to fund it. I’m sorry this has happening again. It’s not good enough.”

Residents have questioned whether the police investigated the height barrier being damaged.

Newquay Inspector Steve Johnson said: “We are currently looking into the damage to the barrier. At this time we have no damage report from the council, but officers have been to check.

“Anyone that witnessed any incident around the height barrier should contact us and report the same as with any other incidents.

“If there are incidents relating to anti-social behaviour and thefts, these need to be reported to us. At this time, we have had little or no reports of such.”