TRAVELLERS have left a public car park after pitching up for more than a week.

The group of five caravans and two campervans left Cherry Orchard Jubilee Country Park on Sunday afternoon, nine days after pitching up there on August 2.

They have now relocated to the field at the Westcliff Rugby Football Club on Aviation Way.

They had previously been served with a court order to vacate the land by Saturday by Rochford Council.

Before they were there, the group had previously set up in the car park of the Tesco Extra store on Prince Avenue in Southend.

In a statement, the club advised residents not to approach the travellers.

They said: "Yesterday members of the exec spoke with them and apparently they intend to leave before they are evicted. The eviction process could take anything up to 14 days and day one is today.

"We have requested and they have agreed to keep their presence as low key as possible and that they agree to keep the small area they are using clean and free of any kind of waste, rubbish collection will be organised through the council.

"This is a challenging ongoing discussion but we intend to deal with them in the same non confrontational way that has so far been fruitful.

"We would appreciate that members do not approach them directly to save the possibility of mixed messages being delivered.

"For us this will hopefully be a minor bump in the road and it will be business as usual for all use of the club and pitches except for pitch three which fortunately is not due to be used at this time of year."