TRAVELLERS who pitched up on playing fields with luxury caravans and a £65,000 Porsche have thanked generous Orchard Park residents for their hospitality.
Fourteen caravans, towed by cars including the white 64-plate Porsche Panamera – voted one of the world's top luxury cars – and a Mercedes, arrived at Dane Park fields on Wednesday.
Despite being one of Hull's most deprived estates, kind residents have offered supplies to the travellers.
Father-of-five George Anderson, 41, spokesman for the travellers, told the Mail he "couldn't knock" the locals.
He said: "You get good and you get bad everywhere you go, but we can't knock people around here.
"Everyone has been really friendly to us.
"We've even had people fetching us water."
Mr Anderson said the group wanted to keep "themselves to themselves" and cause as little disruption to locals as possible.
However, the Mail saw young travellers riding a quad bike and a mini-motorbike dangerously across the playing fields, performing wheelies, before returning to the caravans.
Mr Anderson explained that the group had intended to pitch up at a permanent, council-owned travellers' site in Cottingham, but were turned away.
"We tried there, but were told they were fully booked," he said. "We had nowhere else to go."
Prior to arrival in Orchard Park, Mr Anderson said the group had been kicked off the grounds of Fitness First in Cottingham.
Asked if he could understand the concerns of local residents, particularly around rubbish, when a travelling community arrives on public open space, Mr Anderson said often they have no choice but to dump rubbish.
He said: "What else can we do with rubble from our work? We have turned up at tips before, but been turned away because we do not have a licence."
An older man, who had initially refused to speak to the Mail, said: "Travellers are scapegoats to a lot of people."
Mr Anderson said the site would be left clean if Hull City Council were to provide them with the means.
"Of course we would use bins if the council brought us some," said Mr Anderson.
Next to some of the caravans are diggers and other pieces of machinery.
As the Mail spoke with Mr Anderson, a man in a van displaying the name of a construction firm, parked up beside a caravan.
"East Yorkshire is a nice area, but there is no work," said Mr Anderson. "It's very bad."
It seems the travellers are content to bide their time before being moved on.
"We know we will be moved on soon," said Mr Anderson. "It's how it works."
Opinion in Hardane, about 800m from the camp, was divided.
Hilda Lister, 71, said: "I can't walk my dog on the field. I have heard someone's dog was attacked by one of the travellers' dogs. I want them moved."
But Pamela Joyce, 42, who lives a few doors away, says the travellers have not given her any cause for concern.
She said: "I have not spoken to them. They have not spoken to me. They have been keeping themselves to themselves."
Laura Carr, the local authority's city neighbourhoods and housing manager, said: "We are aware that travellers have set up an unauthorised encampment on the Dane Park pitches.
"We are currently working with our partners in other agencies and are following agreed procedures.
"We will continue to monitor this area and would encourage any residents or businesses with concerns to report them by calling 01482 300300 or by visiting any customer service centre."
Long and costly eviction processREMOVING travellers from illegal sites is time-consuming and costly.
Figures obtained by the Mail using the Freedom of Information Act show Hull City Council has spent £35,000 in the past three years removing travellers from its land.
Almost £12,000 has been spent on legal costs to have travellers removed via the courts, while clearing the sites, repairing damage and creating defences has cost at least £23,000.
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