A rugby club was forced to cancel a fun day after a group of travellers descended on the grounds.

Witham Rugby Club hoped to hold a fun day to mark the start of the season, registering members for games.

Human faeces were found on tyre equipment used by the rugby club for training.

Club chairman Dean Wells arrived on site around 6.30pm on Friday.

He had read reports on social media of travellers arriving at the club.

He noticed the front gate was lifted and the padlock was almost cut through.

A fence post was snapped and he immediately called Essex Police.

He said: "I arrived on Friday night around 6.45pm and I had noticed they had already set up camp in just a matter of minutes.

"I had driven in and some were in the car park and others already in their caravans on the field."

Police were called to the site at 7.45pm to address the travellers.

An officer who came down to the club on Saturday night issued an order, giving notice for the travellers to leave by 10am Sunday morning.

Dean said: "It was everywhere.

"Mess and rubbish was scattered all over the club.

"We knew the faeces there on our equipment was human as there was still toilet roll attached to some of it.

"There was urine over everything with a strong, nasty smell and the litter was immense."

Dean said: "On the Saturday, we had planned a big registration event for club members to start the new season.

"We had a fun day with a barbecue organised for months.

"In rugby it is the start of a new season, and so we had planned to hold a day where our members could come and register for the playing season.

"All of us are volunteers and our members work, so it is just getting the registration done which concerned us.

"On Sunday we had planned our first junior training for this season.

"Although they left by around 2pm on Sunday afternoon, there was mess everywhere and all over the club."

Around 20 people, including club members, arrived on Sunday to help with a clean up.

Dean said: "They are superstars.

"For them to give up their Sunday evening to come down to the club and face what they had to face was amazing.

"Human faeces were all over our equipment, and there was rubbish everywhere.

"Honestly we can't thank them enough."

A nursery next to the club was also damaged.

Mini Marvels Nursery, which is situated next ot the rugby club in Witham, had toys broken and smashed.

Owner Claire Micallef wrote on social media: "I would like to stress that the fencing has not been damaged in any way.

"Those who were responsible for the vandalism managed to climb the eight foot high fencing.

"The area has been deep cleaned, disinfected and scrubbed and all of the toys shown in the photos have been binned.

"Paint had been thrown everywhere and too many were also broken so everything was discarded.

"These were toys we stored in the shed to use when we are outside, mainly cars, little people, mega blocks, puzzles, etc.

"We also stored cleaning and decorating equipment in there, hence the emultion paint being thrown everywhere, a five litre tub I only purchased Thursday last week.

"I had been on site yesterday morning and taken our large play equipment inside, so our slides, see-saws, benches, water table etc are all thankfully fine.

"We are going back tomorrow to do some last minute cleaning and putting everything back ready for Tuesday."

Witham MP Priti Patel said:“I am appalled by the illegal encampment over the weekend at Witham Rugby Club.

"The damage and destruction caused is disgusting."

The group of travellers are now in White Notley on the grounds of White Notley FC.

The group's official account tweeted: "The landowners & relevant authorities are working towards their swift removal, then the inevitable clean up can start."

More to follow.