Council and police officers are working to recover an Ipswich park after travellers moved onto the site.

Ipswich Star: Travellers onto Whitehouse Park, Ipswich.Travellers onto Whitehouse Park, Ipswich. (Image: Archant)

Around 15 vehicles and caravans were seen parking up in Whitehouse Park, just off Norwich Road, on Friday afternoon.

Helen Carr, of Limerick Close, which leads onto the park, said: “I won’t walk my dog round there now, before I could just go across to the park in five minutes but now I have to go else where.”

She said a couple of the travellers were riding quad bikes across the park on Saturday night and others were moving the location of their caravans every day.

Two skips believed to be provided by the council have been placed in the park for the travellers to use.

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said she had not seen any travellers in Whitehouse Park in the 24 years she had lived in Limerick Close.

She said: “We couldn’t believe it on Friday when we saw them - it was a shock to see.”

“They are not right on top of us so we can’t say they are trouble to us,” she added.

“We go through the park on the way to the shop and they haven’t interfered with us so we won’t interfere with them.”

The resident said the only thing that concerned her was the quad bike riding, adding: “That could cause an accident - there are little ones who use that park.”

Another resident of Limerick Close, who did not want to be named, said: “As long as they don’t bother me I don’t mind.

“They haven’t been here for long enough, I’ve haven’t heard of any trouble.”

An Ipswich Borough Council spokesman confirmed that a group of travellers had gained access to the park.

“We are in close contact with the police and will take all the necessary steps to recover the site,” he added.

The travellers on Whitehouse Park declined to comment.