Travellers who have set up camp in one of Gloucester's most popular playing fields have been given 24 hours to leave the site.

The first caravans arrived at Plock Court in Longford at about 4pm on Tuesday.

And yesterday up to 22 mobile homes were on the fields.

At 3pm this afternoon, they were handed a 24 hour notice to quit the site by Gloucester City Council.

A spokeswoman for the authority confirmed that, if the travellers did not move in that period, a court order would be obtained to remove them.

The travellers have set up home in a portion of the playing fields between the Oxstalls Tennis Centre and the A38 Tewkesbury Road.

They appeared to have gained access to the field through a broken fence.

Youngsters were yesterday seen riding quad bikes across the playing field, which onlookers said had been churned up into a muddy mess.

Gloucester City Council owns the land at Plock Court.

Last night the authority confirmed it had contacted the travellers asking them to move on.

A spokeswoman said: "One of our officers, accompanied by the travellers' liaison officer from Gloucestershire County Council, has attended the site today.

"We have requested that the travellers vacate the site and we hope they will do so."

No one from the camp was willing to comment on how long they planned to stay in the city.

However, one local resident, who did not want to be named, said: "They moved in on Tuesday afternoon.

"I met a lady who was walking her dog as usual across the fields who said she felt intimidated by them all being there.

"It is not good for the field as well, it was already boggy from all the rain we have had, and now all these vehicles on it will just churn it up completely."

The field is also one of Gloucester's most popular sites for dog walkers.

Jeni Smith, 31, walks her dog Digby on the field at least twice a week.

She said: "It is disgusting, this is a really popular site for walking dogs, and people just aren't going to want to come here now.

"The field is already churned up, it isn't a nice place to walk now.

"There are also a lot of dogs loose around the camp."

The Gloucester City Festival of Volleyball is due to be held at the playing fields this weekend.

Organisers yesterday vowed it would still take place.

A police spokeswoman said it was a matter for the city council and they were not currently involved.

■ A group of travellers who set up home in a city supermarket's car park last week have moved to another location nearby.

Six mobile homes moved into the Sainsbury's car park in Brockworth on Sunday, July 26.

They have now moved to land nearby on the Barnwood trading estate.