Travellers who took up residence at a busy playing field in Leybourne have since left the site.

Two caravans were seen arriving at the park off of Oxley Shaw, Leybourne, known locally as the Bomb Hole, earlier today.

Welfare officers from Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council inspected the site to ensure no children were at risk, before handing the travellers a court order to leave the council-owned property within 24 hours.

The travellers had reportedly left the site by 1.35pm.

Bob Ulph, Chairman of Leybourne Parish Council said: "I met council inspectors on site and with the help of a dozen police officers the travellers agreed to leave and the police escorted them out of the village."

"The parish council will be writing to the police and Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council to raise the need to reconsider the security of vulnerable sites to prevent any future traveller encampments."

In July 2014, a group of 150 travellers moved into a nearby site in Castle Way, also in Leybourne. They left after four days.