TRAVELLERS have pitched illegally on the town's Castle Meadow site.

Around six caravans and vehicles broke into the locked site late last week and set up camp with the number of vehicles more than doubling in the days following.

The site now houses a number of caravans and cars, two large scrap lorries and four portable toilets - supplied and paid for by Monmouthshire County Council.

The caravans, tents, cars and camps can be seen dominating the picturesque castle meadow as visitors and residents enter the town over the Llanfoist Bridge.

Gwent Police officers were on the scene to prevent more travellers entering the beauty spot on Friday but admitted that their powers are limited and more cars and vans have entered the site.

Local residents have reported seeing around five children per caravan, with the travellers and their families frolicking in the river over the weekend.

The council-owned land is used by a farmer and is popular with tourists, dog walkers and angling clubs whose members fish in the river Usk. Paragliders often land in the field and it is used as a car park for many of the town's event, including the Food Festival.

Sergeant Wayne Yandle said the travellers had arrived from The Royal Welsh Show, "We are aware that they got into the secure site overnight. We are currently liaising with Monmouthshire County Council which owns the land to ensure that it is used correctly.

"We are conscious that it's a regular dog walking area with members of the community in Abergavenny and we will ensure that the rights of all involved are upheld. "Monmouthshire County Council will take any action necessary to restore the land back to its original use. Officers are at the scene ensuring that no further vehicles take up residence within the meadow and to ensure all vehicles using the site are road worthy."

Sgt Yandle wanted to stress that the police were doing everything in their powers to restore the land back to its normal state.

"We are conscious that the needs of the travellers and residents must be met," he added.

Monmouthshire County Council's Chief executive Colin Berg said the authority was working with the travellers to ensure the meadows were vacated.

"We are currently working with the travellers, the police and the local community to ensure that the Castle Meadows are vacated so that they can be enjoyed to their full. 

"We have to follow proper procedures in achieving this, but we'll seek to arrive at a resolution of the problem as soon as possible.  In the meantime we regret the inconvenience that local people may experience in their enjoyment of Castle Meadows."

Sgt Yandle said the farmer had held off cutting hay from the meadow for around a week but uses the land for his cattle.

Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay said it was important to resolve the problem as soon as possible, "Castle Meadow is a beautiful part of Abergavenny, as well as a much admired and well-used recreational area. 

"It has always been a protected area and local people will understandably be concerned by latest developments. I will be liaising with the local police and the council to discuss how best to resolve this matter."

Local councillor Douglas Edwards said he had been liaising with the travellers all week but said that they "need to leave."

He said, " So far they have kept the site pretty tidy, let's hope it stays that way. I am hoping that we as a county will get rid of them because it's the holiday period and very important as part of Abergavenny's tourism industry not to have the meadow piled with travellers. They have got to leave."

Monmouthshire County Council was not available to give a cost for providing the portable toilets provided but Councillor Edwards said, "We needed to provide them with the facility or we have trees being used as a human toilet.

"It's not humane," he added