WAVERLEY council has issued a court summons to a group of travellers occupying the Farnham Leisure Centre car park.

Council officers served the summons in person on Monday afternoon, with a hearing set to follow at Staines Magistrates’ Court at 2pm on Wednesday.

It comes after the travellers ignored a Section 77 notice demanding the caravans depart by 5pm on Saturday.

Around six caravans first arrived in the council-owned Dogflud Way car park last Thursday evening (April 6), but this number had since increased to around 14.

Waverley has delivered wheelie bins and portable toilets to the site, following complaints from members of the public that the caravans’ occupants had been using the car park as a toilet.

The borough council’s planning enforcement officers have also undertaken welfare checks at the site “to make sure any young people are not at risk”.

A spokesman for Surrey Police said: “Surrey Police received reports of an incursion in Farnham at around 8pm on April 6.

“It is reported that a number of caravans were seen parked up in a car park behind Sainsbury’s near the sports centre. Police are aware and monitoring the situation.

“As this is council land Waverley Borough Council only have the power to ask them to leave.”