TRAVELLERS left human faeces and other debris on a field in Halesowen - leaving Earls High School with a clean-up bill likely to run into thousands of pounds.

Three caravans finally moved off the playing fields opposite Halesowen College in Whittingham Road on Friday (August 16) after a two-week stay.

They left behind "a wall of human, horse and dog faeces" as well as items including nappies, toilet roll, toys, food wrappers, a gas canister and children's play pen, on the land belonging to Earls High.

Football teams have been left unable to use the area until environmental cleaners are called in.

A clean-up was held when residents of Furnace Lane and nearby came together to tidy some of the litter that was left strewn over the field by the travellers.

Councillor Simon Phipps, who was at the clean-up, said: "Well done to the residents of Furnace Lane and nearby who came together to clean up some of the litter that was left strewn over the field by travellers.

"It's such a shame that they had to take action in the first place, but it's a sign of just how great our community is that they came together to do it anyway.

"The aftermath will be very expensive - they will have to get environmental cleaners out to deal with the human excrement and that is money which should be spent on educating children.

"It could run into thousands of pounds.

"It was only a small encampment but the rubbish they left behind was considerable. There was a wall of human, horse and dog excrement all along the edge of the field - the volunteers didn't go near it and we couldn't get to the rubbish behind it.

"It's disgusting."

Stourbridge News:

Cllr Phipps plans to send a letter to the Home Secretary Priti Patel calling for a change in the law to make trespassing by travellers a criminal offence, instead of a civil offence, meaning police will be able to move them on from illegal encampments.

It is the second time travellers have got on to the site - back in 2016 around 40 caravans set up camp there - again costing thousands of pounds in clean-up costs. The field is not used by the school, but is used by local football teams and youngsters.