Outraged Glenrothes residents are frightened to visit a beauty spot after Travellers established an illegal camp, it has been claimed.
Peter Scobie, chairman of thePitteuchar, Stenton and FinglassieCommunity Council, said residents would avoid Lochty Meadows until the illegal camp was moved on.
Around a dozen Traveller caravans drove on to the area on Sunday evening, prompting concern from those living nearby.
Fife Council will today begin legal action to evict the group, but Mr Scobie claims that the area will be out of bounds for those who normally take the space for granted.
“The residents are up in arms,” he told The Courier.“A lot of people go walking there or walk their dogs but they can’t now.
“One man who I spoke to has twoalsatians and he said he won’t let them off the lead now.It’s out of order.”
Mr Scobie claims that the group had broken through a gate to access the meadow, although this could not be verified on a visit to the site on Monday.
The Courier was met with abusive remarks when it approached the camp, with the group having established itself in three separate parts of the meadow.
Local councillor Bill Brown said: “I am very concerned about this, especially if it is true that they have cut through apadlock to gain access.
“It is taking away a local facility from young people and that is very unfair.Camps should not just be set up wherever.
“It can take time for the council to move them on and in the meantime the community is denied access.”
Incorporating a football pitch, used regularly by local youngsters, the location has been used by Travellers to establish illegal camps in the past.
This is the first major Traveller camp to be established in the town thissummer, following reports of smaller groups elsewhere in recent weeks.
Following a number of high-profile standoffs last year, Fife Council has responded quickly to this incident, with court proceedings starting today to have the group removed.
However, if successful then theTravellers would still have until Friday to vacate the meadow.
John Mills, head of housing services, said: “The council has started legalproceedings in the High Court to remove the Gypsy Travellers fromFoxton Drive and should receive removal orders by Wednesday.
“If granted, the Gypsy Travellers then have 48 hours to remove from the site.
“We will continue to proactively work to ensure that unauthorised Gypsy Traveller encampments meet the requirements of the Fife Co-operation Policy.”