A RIVER of rubbish forced unwanted travellers to flee their camp site this week.

Scores of gypsies set up camp along the King's Highway, which runs adjacent to the Easterly by-pass, last Tuesday night.

But the group got more than they bargained for when heavy showers struck on Tuesday, washing rubbish and debris towards their caravans and vehicles.

Resident Tracy Green, of Miry Lane Farm, said: "The rain turned the road into a river. We get lots of fly-tipping along the road and it was swept down into their camp."

"Everything was nice when they got here but I think this has really put them off."

The highway has been named and shamed by the Environment Agency as one of the top 10 magnets for fly-tipping.

Mrs Green, who lives with her husband Stephen and 18-year-old son, also called Stephen, added: "We are used to people driving up and down and leaving their rubbish here. We get lads throwing beer cans out of their cars. But this was the final nail in the coffin."

She added: "They turned up and stayed here a week. They have left a right mess behind. It is just one thing after another."

Hyndburn Council issued the travellers with an eviction notice on Monday but they left the next day.

Councillor Jean Battle, who is striving to get a gate installed at the bottom of the hill to stamp out the problem of fly-tipping, said: "We are trying to get this in place as quickly as possible to stop people dumping waste on the site."