A large group of travellers who pitched up in a popular Ipswich park are believed to have left the town this evening, council bosses said.

Around 15 caravans were parked in Bourne Park, close to the Wherstead Road entrance, from Thursday night until early this evening.

A reader sent the Ipswich Star a picture of the caravans, which he took on Friday.

It is understood that the group broke open a lock to gain access to the park.

Ipswich Borough Council chiefs said they were informed the group had left the site by 6pm today.

A spokesman said: “We have just been told that the group of travellers in Bourne Park have left, and we believe they have left Ipswich altogether.

“Council teams are due to start their clean up operation as soon as they possibly can.”

News of their arrival came as another group of travellers with 16 caravans stopped on land owned by Tendring District Council.

The first group arrived in Walton-on-the-Naze last Tuesday but they assured the council they were not intending to wait there long as they were catching a ferry from Harwich.

However, a second group arrived on Thursday and it is now feared the community will stay on land which could be needed for visitor parking until Easter Monday.

The council’s communications manager Nigel Brown said the authority would continue to monitor the situation at the meadow today.