They seemed to comply with the request until it was noticed that they had not only brought themselves and dogs, but three horses as well. The horses were tethered and left to graze on the pitches, but not only did they graze, but the travellers also held the nightly ‘Swindon RFC Handicap’ horse race every night of their stay!

The travellers asked if they could use our club facilities, bar, toilets, etc. but we had been advised not to let them into the premises by Swindon Council’s travellers’ liaison officer. We told the travellers that we are a members only club, to which one of them replied, “OK, but we are residents”.

On Monday, we contacted one of our sponsors, Lemon and Co. of Swindon, who are also our solicitors, to start the process of removing the travellers on the grounds of trespass and criminal damage to the pitches. The cost was to be £130 per hour for the solicitors’ time, plus court costs.We had to bear the cost, as although Swindon Council own the land, we lease it off them.

We tried to carry on as normal with training, etc, but found that the teenage travellers would come and try and intimidate the players, to get a reaction. Our members found it difficult not to respond, but knew if they reacted the travellers could have them arrested.

We finally managed to get an eviction order the Friday after the gypsies arrived. The bailiffs came and served the notices on each caravan owner and the travellers were gone six hours later.

The next problem then arose - the clear up of the pitches. The travellers had stayed on the perimeter of the pitches, but when they left they also left a wide variety of mess. The club members had to cope with clearing away everything from cardboard boxes to horse manure and worse.

The total cost to the club was £3,000 plus. Solicitors’ fees and court fees came to £2,600, lost bar revenue £1,200 and the clean up £300.

The lesson that every rugby club will have to learn is that their premises must be secure. We had one broken pole, which allowed the travellers access to the pitches, and it has cost us dear. To make our ground fully secure against a further ‘invasion’ will cost us at least another £2,000. This may not seem a lot of money to some clubs, but for clubs at our level, it is.

Since I began this article, another club local to Swindon, Cricklade RFC, has had visitors.

So all clubs need to be vigilant if they do not want a visit from travellers on their pitches.

Glyn Barrett - Swindon RFC