IRISH travellers in caravans who arrived unannounced in Petersfield’s central car park left just as quietly.

The three caravans pulled in overnight on Sunday and by Tuesday they were gone.

One resident who saw them arrive said: “They pulled up, and very soon had their satellite TV aerials rigged, gas bottles for their cookers set up and washing hanging on a line.

“But give them their dues, they had also put out rubbish bins and were very tidy.”

One traveller told the Post he and most of the group came from?Ireland and once one of their vehicles was repaired they would be leaving.

He also said that so far no-one had asked them to leave, although he expected it to happen soon.

“We’ll be here for a couple of days and move on,” he said.

By Monday afternoon Petersfield Police Community Support Officer Tobey Mason said the police and car park owners East Hampshire District Council were working to move the caravans on.

The council then issued a Direction to Vacate Order, which meant the travellers had to be gone by Tuesday morning, which they were.

Apart from a few pieces of litter, the parking spaces they used were left as tidy as the rest of the car park.