GRANT funding will pay for land to be fenced off in a Teesdale village to stop an annual invasion by travellers.

Residents of Winston had complained about caravans parking on grass near the village sports field on their way to and from the annual Appleby Fair.

They said more travellers stopped off every year and were staying longer. A public meeting last November heard that the land was churned up and damaged by fires.

Ninety-three per cent of people who took part in a survey supported plans outlined at the meeting for fencing off the plot.

The work was expected to cost £5,000, but that figure has risen to £12,500 because of safety problems and underground pipes.

A grant of £5,000 was secured by police from Teesdale's Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership. Teesdale Listens Community Improvement Fund is giving £1,500, and ward councillor Jo Fergus is providing £6,000 from Durham County Council's highways department budget.

Similar measures have been taken at the Demesnes and at Bridgegate, in Barnard Castle.

When travellers arrive in the area, they will be encouraged to use temporary sites at Shaw Bank and Broomielaw, where there are toilets, water and waste disposal facilities.

Councillor Fergus, who is also a Teesdale district councillor, said: This was clearly a very high priority for local people."

Councillor Tony Cooke, chairman of Teesdale Residents and Travellers' Forum, said: "As a group, we try to provide mutually beneficial solutions to the challenges posed by travellers passing through the area."