Travellers have set up camp in a council-owned car park in Beaconsfield.

A number of caravans, cars and vans have been spotted in Altons car park, in Burkes Road, and are reported to have been on the site since at least Sunday.

Angry residents have slammed South Bucks District Council, which owns the car park, for allowing the travellers to “take over” the car park without paying.

However SBDC bosses have insisted they are “monitoring the situation” with police and Bucks County Council.

A concerned parent, whose son attends a nearby nursery and who did not want to be named, said: “If I park my car there without paying I get a ticket so why are they turning a blind eye to this?

“There are now about eight or nine caravans there. People pay for a season ticket for that car park.

“They have taken over about a third of it – my son is about 30 metres away from an illegal traveller encampment.”

South Bucks District Council spokesman Viv Saunders said: “We are monitoring the situation, working with Thames Valley Police and Bucks County Council.

“Appropriate action will be taken and while this is in progress, we ask the public to be patient and bear with us until the matter is resolved.”