A group of travellers have broken through barriers to set up camp on Mitcham Common.

The encampment, made up of 14 caravans and about 7 further vehicles, appeared arrived on Sunday evening and follows the eviction of a group from Beddington Park in Sutton and Riddlesdown in Croydon.

One resident said: “A big group of travellers broke the barrier by the Harvester and moved into the park.

“The police don’t seem to have done anything about it.

“Almost all the residents by the neighbouring apartment block reported the problem as soon as they started to move in.”

This morning Councillor Martin Whelton tweeted: “Unfortunately we've had a traveller’s encampment on Mitcham Common - hopefully they'll be evicted off the Common swiftly.”

A spokesman for Merton Council said: "We have informed the travellers that they will have to move on from the common and are working to ensure the site is vacated as soon as possible."