A Leeds leisure centre was forced to close and left in "heap of mess" after a group of travellers pitched up in the car park.
Staff at Rothwell Leisure Centre in Wakefield Road found rows of caravans parked up in the activity spot's car park on Wednesday (April 13). The takeover left them with no choice but to close the facilities until the travellers moved.
Videos shared with LeedsLive shows caravans parked in the leisure centre’s car park. An eyewitness said they have been there since Monday but they were at the rugby centre first.
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This morning (April 14) Leeds City Council and staff at the centre confirm the centre has reopened as normal. Leeds City Council confirmed in collaboration with West Yorkshire Police, the travellers were evicted under the section 61. Section 61 gives police the power to direct an encampment to leave once the landowner has made reasonable steps to remove the occupants.
A spokesperson for the council said: "All travellers departed the site yesterday evening and the leisure centre opened as normal this morning. The council worked closely with West Yorkshire Police colleagues who yesterday issued a section 61 notice to secure their removal from site and they duly left last night [Wednesday evening]."
But while things seem back on track, a witness recalls the "horrendous mess" that "covered" the car park. The 24-year-old Leeds resident said: "I walked up to the centre on Thursday morning and honestly I wouldn't be surprised if it put people off going.
"The car park was covered in all kinds of horrendous mess. Poor staff members were clearing up the travellers rubbish and it was even spread across the grass and onto the pitches behind the centre. I bet it takes them all day to clear it all up and the items that have been left are revolting."
McDonald's wrappers, half-eaten Easter eggs, "squashed" potatoes, cereal, shoes, clothes, empty packets of cigarettes and crisps, cans, empty tablet packets, and animal bones, were found "scattered" across the car park, as well as "heaps" of bin bags. Individuals both staff and volunteers were seen parking up between 9am and 10am to help clean up the mess.
A staff member at Rothwell Leisure Centre said: "We are back open as normal, obviously this week the Bank Holiday will change our opening times, but classes etc have been running as normal this morning."
