Human faeces was left at illegal traveller encampments in Wokingham during the coronavirus lockdown.

Wokingham Borough Council was left to clean up after various encampments were set up over three months of lockdown.

At a council meeting on September 22, Nicholas Austin, the council’s assistant director of localities, said: “There were a number over the borough and they did incur clean-up costs, in terms of not just rubbish but human faeces and that sort of thing that was left behind.

“That’s one of the things we gather to make sure we’ve got enough evidence to ensure they are moved on or can’t come back.”

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The council said there was not a significant increase in illegal encampments during lockdown, but the government told all councils to “tolerate” any that were set up on their land.

A council report states: “This resulted in an illegal encampment in Woosehill being in place for a week that caused significant distress to local residents due to significant anti-social behaviour.

“Ultimately this encampment was removed when the impact on local residents became too great.”

The Conservative-run council created a temporary “tolerance site” for travellers at Mereoak Park and Ride during lockdown and it says a number of camps were set up there “without incident”.

Mr Austin said “there wasn’t much left” at the site, as toilets and bins were provided and everyone who stayed there agreed to follow a set of rules.