COUNCIL chiefs are taking action to evict travellers who have parked their caravans on a York sports field.

Several caravans have been pitched on the field, off North Lane in Huntington, the home ground of Huntington Rovers.

Its first team was due to play a match on the field this evening, but it has been forced to find another pitch to play on, costing the club money.

A spokesperson for the club said: "It was sometime between half 11 last night and 7am this morning they arrived."

This Friday there is due to be an outdoor cinema event on the field, with The Greatest Showman being screened.

"If the travellers are still on the field I imagine the event won't go ahead," the spokesperson added.

Tom Brittain, assistant director for housing and community safety at City of York Council, said camping of any kind was prohibited on the playing fields, which were owned by the council.

He said neighbourhood enforcement officers had today served the caravan owners with a direction to leave notice and issued the same notice to caravans that had arrived later.

"If they do not move by Thursday August 22, further action will be taken," he said.

"Once the caravans have left, we will look at measures to restrict access to prevent this from happening again."