Travellers take residence on Tooting Bec Common

 The council is taking urgent action to remove a group of travellers who have set up camp on Tooting Bec Common.

While they remain on the common they will be closely monitored by officers in the council's parks police service. The officers have a similar range of powers as those available to a Metropolitan Police constable in the borough's parks, commons and open spaces.

The council can use its powers to remove the travellers for breaching the common’s byelaws.

The council's environment spokesman Cllr Sarah McDermott said: "Local people can rest assured that we are doing everything we can to remove this group from the common as quickly as possible.

"We are taking urgent action so that they can be moved on without any unnecessary delays.

"We are determined to act before this camp gets any bigger and before any long lasting damage is caused to the common."

Residents who witness any incident involving travellers on council-owned land are being urged to contact the town hall's emergency response team on (020) 8871 6900. This is a 24 hour service. Occupations of other land should be reported immediately to the police.

The council provides an approved travellers site in Trewint Street, Earlsfield.