TRAVELLERS MOVE ON AFTER TEMPORARY STRANG'S STAY
A normally barren piece of land on the outskirts of Forfar was turned into a temporary travellers' site last Thursday when an assortment of caravans and tents pitched up for the night.
The land - which belongs to the Strang's Mortification Trust - is a popular play area for local youngsters and is used by dog walkers.
However, that was not the case when over 20 caravans pulled up.
Worried residents were quick to contact the Dispatch and Herald to speak of their fears for their property, and their concerns about how long the travellers would stay at the site.
By Friday Forfar councillors, who are trustees of the Trust, agreed the people on the ground would be given notice to quit which was served that afternoon.
When contacted last Friday Forfar councillor Bill Middleton said: "Councillors have given authorisation for the notice to be issued to remove them from the site.
"At this stage they have 48 hours to move on. If they don't the Police have to take over from there."
On the same day a spokesperson for Angus Council said: "We are aware of the encampment in Forfar and will continue to monitor the situation in line with our policies and procedures."
Local residents complained of dogs roaming the field, as well as travellers urinating against garden fences and defecating in public.
Another complained of a generator which ran through the night and the police were contacted on several occasions.
However, there was relief all round just shortly after mid-day on Sunday when the travellers cleared off the site - some to a field on the outskirts of Forfar at Pitreuchie.
One resident who contacted the Dispatch said: "We were thrilled to bits when they left.
"We weren't affected by them but we didn't want things to escalate.
"My husband and I are both retired and we were frightened we might get prowlers or things stolen out of the garden.
"They went quite quietly. The only thing we could hear when they were there were dogs barking.
"We were thrilled with the way the police did their job. We did notice the police van quite a few times.
"When they did move on they shifted pretty briskly.
"We have been here about 20 years and have had nothing, it's absolutely peaceful. I've boasted to my friends that nothing ever happens here, well it did this week and we did feel intimidated."
At the time of going to press on Tuesday (yesterday), a spokesman for Tayside Police confirmed a number of calls had been received from residents regarding the travellers' site.
He said: "Tayside Police received several complaints over the course of the weekend expressing concerns about the travelling encampment.
"Officers monitored the situation closely until the people camped there moved on.''
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Weather for Kirriemuir
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South
