A community of travellers who set up camp on a popular Inverness football pitch and playing fields, now face legal action to evict them from the site.
Highland Council confirmed yesterday that it is to start proceedings against the illegal encampment in Dalneigh near St Valery Avenue
The group of Irish travellers ignored the local authority’s request to leave the playing field on Wednesday morning.
The 15-strong group of caravans remained parked on the grass park yesterday.
Clachnacuddin FC’s youth team cancelled their training session on Tuesday night because 15 caravans were parked there.
Residents in the area have raised concerns about the impact on the playing field, which is behind St Valery Avenue.
One Dalneigh woman said that she had stopped taking her dogs to the pitch because of the unauthorised camp.
She added: “It will be a quagmire because of the rain and all the vehicles driving around the field.
“We’re not going with our dogs because it is quite intimidating. They have big dogs like lurchers running around.”
A Highland Council spokeswoman said: “We are continuing to liaise with the people at the unauthorised encampment at Dalneigh, Inverness. Along with our partners, Police Scotland, we are implementing our policy on managing unauthorised camping and unauthorised camps on council-owned or controlled land.
“We can confirm that the council will be initiating legal proceedings to evict the unauthorised encampment.”
It will be the second time that this group of travellers have been taken to court in Inverness in recent days because of illegal camping.
A sheriff previously evicted the group from the disused B&Q store on Telford Road after the DIY giant took legal action.
The firm was concerned about potential damage to the vacant building.
It is also understood that the group were also moved on previously from another site near the old B&Q.