TRAVELLERS have parked caravans on a council car park in Blackburn used to feed the homeless every Wednesday night.

Several caravans and cars were parked opposite Blackburn Community Fire Station in Byrom Street yesterday morning.

One nearby worker said the travellers pulled up on Maundy Thursday, and said there were seven vans there yesterday afternoon.

He said: “They just pitched up, but they haven’t caused any problems whatsoever.”

Help The Homeless East Lancashire runs an outreach street kitchen from the car park every Wednesday night.

Locals living in poverty and without a permanent place to stay descend on the area every week where they are fed and clothed by volunteers led by Nelson man Wes Hall.

However, Blackburn with Darwen Council said the travellers have been ordered to move before the volunteers arrive this evening.

A council spokeswoman said: “Officers have attended the site and issued a 24-hour notice for the travellers to move on no later than lunchtime today.”

It can prove a costly and time-consuming process to force travellers to move from council land.

Authorities often have to issue the people parked on their land with a notice instructing them to leave and to attend court, where the council will apply for a possession order, which would allow bailiffs to move in if the travellers do not leave. Local authorities have the power to direct unauthorised campers to leave unoccupied land if they are residing on it under section 77 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

A police spokeswoman said: “We have been made aware that there is concern about caravans in Byrom Street.

“We are just working with the council to make sure there are no issues, as is usual when any caravans are set up.”

The spokeswoman confirmed no specific incidents had been reported.

Mr Hall could not be reached for a comment at the time of going to print.

Help the Homeless was set up last February following an online campaign.

Initially dozens of people handed out food and drink to the homeless in Burnley, before the scheme expanded into Blackburn.

Now there is a team of volunteers who help out at the scheme and it has the support of hundreds of people on Facebook.