A NOTICE to leave has been served on travellers who have set up camp on a former school site in York.

And council bosses said security would also be stepped up after more than a dozen caravans arrived at the old Manor School site in Boroughbridge Road.

Cllr Keith Myers said residents in the area had contacted him about the sudden arrival of the caravans on fields and urged him to take action.

He said he had "been round all the houses and people are generally upset".

Cllr Myers said he had spoken to police officers, neighbourhood services and York and North Yorkshire Trading Standards regarding the issue.

Earlier this month, about 50 residents attended a meeting to discuss the site’s future.

The fields have been disused since the school moved to its new site in 2009.

Since the closure, there has been ongoing debate on whether the land could be used for development, whether homes could be built there, or if the site can be used as a location for activities for children during the summer holidays.

North Yorkshire Police said it had been made aware of the current situation, and was liaising with City of York Council.

A spokesman for City of York Council said a direction to leave notice had been issued to the travellers, and a court order was now being pursued to further enforce the direction.

Tom Brittain, head of housing and community safety at the council, said: “We served a direction to leave notice on Tuesday morning which has so far not been complied with.

“All those on the field have now been served with a summons for Monday when we will seek a court order requiring them to leave. Officers have been attending the site regularly and are working to improve the field’s security.”