A TILEHURST father-of-three has vowed not to return to Prospect Park with his children until travellers using the site have been moved on by Reading Borough Council.

Mark James, of Grasmere Avenue, used to drive his children, aged four, nine and 10, to the popular play park on a weekly basis.

But since a group of travellers began occupying the patch adjacent to the playgound more than a month ago, the 39-year-old has claimed the once-popular 50-hectare park has been littered with rubbish.

Mr James said: “I’m disgusted if I’m being honest. It’s a family park, I used to take my kids there all the time but the place looks like a right dump and I just don’t feel comfortable taking my children to a place that’s so dirty.

“There’s rubbish everywhere and a few mattresses and it’s just made me really angry that nobody’s doing anything to solve the problem and move them on.”

Mr James, who works in pest control, said the recreational ground which is located on Bath Road is his children’s favourite park and although “devastated” he will not return there with his children, he firmly stands by his decision.

He added: “I went there the other day and there are so many caravans there that people aren’t even parking there any more, they’re parking on the verge nearby or on the grass. They’ve got no respect for the area, they’re treating it like a tip.

“I know I’m doing the right thing here, someone needs to make a stand. It’s a beautiful park and the way it’s being treated with litter all over the grass makes me feel sick.”

A Reading Borough Council spokesman said: “A court hearing has been scheduled for April 28 for breach of an injunction obtained by the council to protect parks and open spaces from unauthorised encampments of this type.

“This is the first time the council has pursued this legal process rather than a possession order. As a breach of the injunction is a contempt of court and potentially punishable by imprisonment, we have to submit a greater amount of evidence and the court will scrutinise that evidence in greater detail.”

As the Chronicle went to press, Reading Borough Council advised our reporter that following news of the injunction, the Prospect Park travellers has left the site on Tuesday evening.

However, the council informed the Chronicle that a new group of travellers had begun occupying the same site yesterday, but were moved on by Thames Valley Police using a section 61 eviction order.