Staff eject travellers in Carnival day stand-off

TRAVELLERS became "aggressive" with Pleasure Island staff who blocked them in to their car park on carnival day after they illegally settled there and refused to leave.

The travellers pulled up on the car park of Kingsway at around 9pm on Friday night, as reported on www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

When staff arrived at work on Saturday morning – the day of Cleethorpes Carnival Parade – there was a car boot sale being held, so they could not block off the entrance immediately.

Staff asked the travellers – who had parked there illegally – to leave and when they refused, blocked off all exits and entrances – which caused tensions to rise.

The travellers complained that, unable to leave, they were being "treated like dogs" and that "there are nothing but racists in this town".

However, general manager Neil Ireland said: "The travellers say it's their home and their right to be there and they should come and go as they please.

"We blocked them in to give them no choice but to get off the land for good – and they were very aggressive towards our staff."

Frustrated, Mr Ireland added: "Customers don't want to see them there and it's affecting us at our prime time of business."

As thousands of people lined the streets to see the parade march its way to Meridian Park, police were in attendance just up the road.

One woman, who did not want to be named, told the Telegraph that she witnessed a traveller child throw a glass bottle and a block of wood over the fence at a staff member.

She said that another child mounted the roof of a Pleasure Island vehicle and rode through the gates on its top, forcing members of staff to remove him from the premises.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said: "There were police whizzing past and it was really kicking off outside."

She also expressed concern over what would happen later on in the day as thousands were expected to come to the theme park, which ran a £5 ticket promotion in the Telegraph for carnival day.

However, the travellers unexpectedly left the site in the early evening. It is not yet known where they have moved to.

Melanie Wood, pictured, owner of Pleasure Island, had vowed that the traveller stand-off would not affect business early on Saturday.

And the numbers prove that it didn't, with the park enjoying bumper numbers – despite the overcast weather.

She said: "It was great day and we had a really good evening at the park with more than 1,500 people through the gates – despite the problems that we had earlier.

"It wasn't sunny but it wasn't cold either and the £5 offer was a good one that many people took advantage of. Hopefully they'll come back.

"I'm slightly relieved because I wondered if it might take a lot longer to sort the situation out."