Travellers have set up camp in Aylesford, causing difficulties for local businesses.

Mobile homes appeared in Wood Close, in the Quarry Wood Industrial Estate. There are about eight caravans on the site which have connected to electricity supplies.

Police arrived around 12.30pm on Friday. Officers could be seen speaking to some children but have now left.

A company called International Decorative Services which is affected by the encampment has had to close its showroom entrance at the front of the store.

Customers were having to get inside by heading through a back entrance.

The travellers are opposite Speedy Van Hire and a member of staff there said they moved in on Monday and rubbish is mounting up. It is on a part of the business park called Euroway.

A staff member at the Tesco.com warehouse said he had walked past the mobile homes for the past three days and didn't think the people there had caused many problems.

Other big-name retailers, including Halfords, Sainsbury's, M&S Food and and Harveys Furniture are operating normally.

The owner of the land, which is private, has been informed.

A police spokesman said the travellers were reported to them on Tuesday and officers visited the site then and went back again today.

He stressed no crimes had been reported and added that as the land was private it was not a police matter and it would be down to the landowner to arrange for the caravans to be moved on.

Anthony Garnett, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council's Licensing and Community Safety Manager, said: "When travellers unlawfully encroach upon land owned by the borough council, we will always consider immediate enforcement action but, in this case, as the land is privately owned we are working with Kent Police, who are investigating the situation."