TRAVELLERS who have set up home in a town centre car park are likely to be evicted by a council order.

Four travelling families, who parked caravans in the Wentworth Street car park, in Malton, could soon be facing a bailiff order to remove them.

Town Councillor Gerry Cooper said he had received a string of complaints about the state of the area since the arrival of the travellers.

"There is rubbish everywhere," he said. "It is disgusting because some of it has started going over the wall into the cemetery."

Ryedale District Council environment officer Richard Etherington said an order had been made asking the travellers to move but that it had been ignored.

"We have received several complaints about this because there is an awful mess down there," he said.

"We have put a skip there in the hope that this will be used and will stop rubbish being blown about. We did apply for a possession order asking them to remove themselves, but this did not work."

The council is now awaiting the outcome of a bailiff order, which has been submitted to York County Court.