A GROUP of travellers were escorted to the county boundary by police using a piece of little-used legislation.

Residents were delighted after officers told the travellers to go after they moved up the road from Stanhill Lane, Knuzden, to the Heys playing field, in Fielding Lane, Oswaldtwistle, next to Rhyddings High School.

They had only been there three hours, after arriving at 2pm on Sunday with 15 vehicles and caravans, when police gave them half-an-hour to hit the road.

At first the travellers refused, but changed their minds when they saw more than 15 officers and a breakdown truck arrive.

Under section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act, police can ask travellers to leave if the landowners have already asked.

Inspector Chris Hayhurst, of Lancashire Constabulary's Eastern Division, said: "Generally what happens when travellers arrive is police take a backward step and leave it to the council to sort out if it is council land. But this group had recently been evicted from playing fields where they had caused horrendous damage.

"Residents saw them and were up in arms. They were already starting to cause damage, racing cars, digging up the fields. If we hadn't acted there would have been more damage."

The legislation allows officers to serve notice on travellers to quit within a reasonable amount of time if the land owner has asked them to leave and seize their vehicles if they don't comply.

Insp Hayhurst called out representatives of Lancashire County Council, who own the land, and the operation began.

He said: "I told them they would be arrested and vehicles impounded if they didn't move. When they saw substantial police resources arriving we escorted them out of the county. The residents were thrilled. It's an exceptional result for us and the people of Oswaldtwistle.

"The legislation is not new, but it's not used often."

Coun Doug Hayes, of St Oswald's ward, said: "Travellers appear in our area all the time and something needs to be done because they leave the place in a state and make residents' lives a misery. They camped out again before we knew it. It took us all week to get the order together.

"There will be a hell of a mess - they were really obnoxious, riding their bikes over the field and not letting children play on the swings."

A spokesman for LCC said: "We are the land owners and had to be present to agree the course of action. We thank the police for bringing it to a swift end."