SOUTHAMPTON City Council says police have declined to help them remove travellers from a popular leisure site.

The authority has spent the past couple of days monitoring an unauthorised encampment at Five Acres Recreation Ground in Redbridge Lane, Millbrook.

Council bosses have told the travellers to leave - but say police have decided not to intervene.

In its latest update the authority says: "Southampton City Council's Community Safety Team have completed statutory welfare checks with the occupants of the encampment.

"The occupants have been verbally requested to leave the site.

"A report has been submitted to a senior council manager with recommendations on how the site should be dealt with.

"The local Neighbourhood Policing Team have confirmed that regular patrols are in place.

"Hampshire Police Response & Patrol Team have advised that the threshold for the exercising of police powers is not currently met.

"Please report any anti-social behaviour and/or criminality to the police on 101 or their web-based reporting facility."

The group pitched up at around 7am on Monday.

Around 15 caravans were spotted on the site and it is believed the travellers moved there after spending a week at Millbrook Recreation Ground on Third Avenue.

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this article - we appreciate your support in reading the Daily Echo.

Subscribing to the Echo means you have unrestricted access to the latest news, features and Saints coverage - all with an advertising-light website.

You will also have full access to Saintsplus, your new home for Southampton FC tactical analysis, features and much, much more.

Don't take my word for it - subscribe here to see for yourself.

Follow the latest breaking news in the Southampton area by joining our Facebook group - Southampton News - Breaking News and Incidents

Follow the latest court and crime news on our dedicated Facebook group - Hampshire Court and Crime News