Fencing is being put up around a park as part of an £18,000 bid to stop Travellers keep moving onto the land.

More than 450 metres of 50cm high rail is being erected around Milton Recreation Ground near Sittingbourne.

Swale council, which has contracted the work, says the fencing will prevent vehicles from being able to drive onto the green.

It comes after three incursions on the park between May and August.

Most recently, groups pitched up on the Swale council-owned land on August 3 and stayed for six days.

The others were in May and June.

When one group left the rec on June 6, residents criticised the amount of waste left behind.

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said the situation was “disgraceful”.

The complaints have prompted Swale council to spend £18,011.60 on the knee-high fencing.

A Swale council spokesman said: "The works on the knee-rail fencing at the Milton Rec began last month and we expect the installation to be completed soon.

"The 450 metres of fencing will span the perimeter of the park, preventing vehicles from being able to drive onto the grassed area."

People living around the park have backed the project, with one resident telling KentOnline that the illegal activity “needed to be stopped”.

Read more: The powers authorities have to stop unauthorised Traveller encampments in Kent

When an illegal encampment on council land is reported, council officers follow nationally set procedures, starting with a welfare visit.

If necessary, the council will issue a notice to leave and if this is not complied with, they will seek magistrates’ permission to remove them from their land.