A group of threatening and abusive travellers have been sent packing by Croydon Council.

Fifteen caravans were moved on from Lloyd Park on July 4, by council officers and police.

As well as being abusive and threatening council staff, the group damaged the sites they occupied and left behind heaps of rubbish.

Clean up costs reached £25,000 after the travellers stayed at Croydon Athletic Football Ground near Mayfield Road.

An agreement is now being drawn up between police and the council which could see travellers face arrested if they return to the same location, under powers known as a section 61 notice.

In April the council announced it would apply to the courts to take out an injunction against groups responsible for repeated illegal encampments.

However, seeking an injunction would require evidence to be collated and presented to a court, whereas the section 61 powers offer a 'quick fix' solution that can take immediate effect.

So far this year there have been 37 encampments in parks and public highway or council-owned land.

Last year council officers dealt with 83 unauthorised encampments, some of which were attended by bailiffs at a cost to the taxpayer of more than £128,000.

Councillor Simon Hoar, cabinet member for community safety and public protection, said: "These travellers were a particularly nasty group, who were threatening and abusive.

"The pictures illustrate only too well the amount of mess and destruction they unleashed on one of the borough's green spaces."

Superintendent Rob Atkin, Deputy Croydon Police Borough Commander, said: "We will be working closely with local partners and the council to ensure we are using the full range of powers available to us all to tackle any illegal encampments on the borough.

"Any groups that continue with this behaviour can expect to be dealt with robustly."