GYPSY Travellers have set up camp in a popular country park in Wrexham.

The incident happened on Saturday evening on the Llay side of Alyn Waters, when up to a dozen caravans gained access to the park and set up camp on the football fields.

Llay Community Councillor Rob Walsh said he had notified Wrexham Council about "the illegal encampment" but that he feared it would be at least Tuesday until they could be moved on.

Cllr Walsh said: "Police are aware as you will know and they will monitor events. Responsibility to remove them lies with Wrexham Council.

"I have left messages for as many relevant people as I can. An official from Wrexham Council has been on site today (Sunday) and spoken with the Travellers. As I suspected, attempts to remove them cannot begin until Tuesday morning.

"This is a country park. It is against the law to encamp there. Many local residents use this park and may be robbed of doing so over the bank holiday weekend."

In preparation for their likely departure, Cllr Walsh has requested all land owners in a Llay to make sure their fields are secured, which he says would stop them simply moving to another location nearby.

He added: "It will be a nightmare for them to leave only to set up somewhere else in the village."