A group of travellers have set up their tents and motor homes on Borstal Recreation Ground in Rochester - right near a Kent MP's home.

The travellers arrived at the site, in Manor Lane, at about 8pm Wednesday, despite the area’s MP, Kelly Tolhurst contacting both Medway Council and the police to try and stop the unwelcome visitors from staying.

Miss Tolhurst, who lives near the site, said she witnessed some of the group ripping out fence posts to enable them to get their vehicles on the fields.

She informed villagers via Facebook community group, Keeping Borstal Connected, of the arrival and said she witnessed them breaking fence posts.

Miss Tolhurst posted: “Just to inform residents we appear to have a number of people in tents and cars who have broken on to Borstal Recreation Ground.

“I am trying to get the police and council duty officers to attend and deal with it.

“I just witnessed them breaking fence posts to get more (vehicles) on.

Several vans, a motor home, cars and tents have been erected at the site and last night, the travellers lit a bonfire on the field.

The recreation ground is used most weekends by Real 60 Football Club, who are due to stage a tournament there later this month.

Miss Tolhurst also expressed her anger later that she was unable to stop the travellers from setting up camp as the duty parks officers at the council would not go out and meet the police at the time in the hope both agencies could get the group moved on quickly.

She added: "There was a guy hanging around site since about 3pm who removed the first bollard.

“Cars then started to come on site at 8.30pm this evening they started putting up their tents - more men turned up with the motor homes and started to try and break the other bollard to get on to site - the police eventually turned up - but sadly the duty parks officers at Medway council would not come out.

“Even though I rang it in at 8.45pm. This has meant that because the landowner (Medway Council) were not there to evict, police could not do anything.

“I am so annoyed at lack of action as last time we got them off within four hours.

“I have been in touch with the director at council and will not let it go until something is done."

Their arrival has also "deeply concerned" Mayor of Medway, Cllr Stuart Tranter, who is the area’s ward councillor.

He said: “I am deeply concerned about this situation and I feel the same as Kelly.

“I went down there last night and they had set a bonfire on the football field.

“I was going to go over to talk to them but I was told by the police not to go over there as it was too dangerous.

“This is unpleasant and intimidating. It is not right, why should we have to keep our distance?”

A police spokesman added: “Kent Police was informed of the presence of travellers at Borstal Recreation Ground, Manor Lane, at 9pm on Wednesday, August 3.

“It was reported that wooden posts at the entrance to the site had been removed but it was established that the posts had not been damaged and could be placed back into the ground.

“Officers are continuing to liaise with the landowner and will take appropriate action if any criminal offences are reported.”

A Medway Council spokesperson added: “Just before 9.30pm on Wednesday, 3 August, the on call park ranger was informed of a potential traveller group at Borstal Recreation Ground. As police were not at the recreation ground, the park ranger attended early the next morning to assess.

“We have liaised with the police and served the group with a direction to move on. We will continue to work with the police to monitor the situation.”

The travellers moved off the recreation ground on Friday evening.