A COUNCIL is taking legal action to remove 13 travellers and their caravans from a recreation area in Ripon.

Members of the public alerted officials at Harrogate Borough Council to the invasion of land known as Hell Wath, off Whitcliffe Lane, on Wednesday.

Part of the area was recently handed over for use by Ripon City Panthers Junior Football Club.

A spokesman for the council said they were moving swiftly to ensure the travellers left as soon as possible. But because Harrogate does not have a daily resident judge, the legal process could be slightly delayed.

The council spokesman said the public were still walking through the area and, when he visited the site, the travellers' dogs were all tethered.

Initially, the travellers were served with a legal notice asking them to quit the site. A court order is now being secured to speed up its vacation.