COUNCIL officers received numerous complaints from residents and businesses yesterday after travellers pitched up in King's Park.

The group of 25 travellers gained entrance into the park via the the Holdenhurst Road entrance and have parked their six caravans on the council-owned car park close to the athletics ground.

One member of the group, Douglas Ward, told the Echo that they have never been to Bournemouth before.

"We are only going to be staying until Monday or Tuesday and then we will be off to the Blandford Steam Fair.

"The council officers are supplying us with bin bags for our rubbish and a water butt."

Alan Rideout, operations manager for Parks Operations, said: "We usually get some sort of warning from the police when travellers are coming. Unfortunately on this occasion we didn't and once they are in it is very difficult to evict them."

Lawrence Robson, traveller liaison officer for Bournemouth Borough Council, said: "We have done the initial needs assessment for them.

"Now we will hand everything we have got to our legal team who will begin the eviction process, but to be honest, I think they will go beforehand.

"We have received about 20-complaints from local residents and local businesses in just an hour. At the moment the majority are because they are here, not about anything specific."

He added that a small pocket of travellers who had set up at the rear of the Tesco store off Castle Lane East have also left for the steam fair.