Families living in Calne have hit out at gypsies who moved their 12 caravans onto a empty site in the town over the weekend.

The caravans were moved into the field in Lansdowne Park, opposite Honeysuckle Close, on Saturday but Wiltshire Council officials have said the families are only staying on the site temporarily for the next ten days.

A worried neighbour said: "I am shocked they have managed to get away with this and that no action appears to have been taken.

"The land is owned by Persimmon construction but when they finished building here it seems like they just left that field empty and it is now used for dog walkers.

"I feel they have a duty of care to the people of Calne to make sure a field like that is secured and they have failed to do this.

"I have no idea how long these travellers are intending to stay but I think it is a disgrace it has been allowed to happen in the first place."

A spokesman for Wiltshire Council said they would not be involved at this stage because the land is privately owned and the gypsies have said their stay is temporary.

They said: "If the landowner wanted to evict them it is a civil matter that we would not necessarily be a part of.

"We may become involved at a later stage if it appears the site is becoming more permanent."

The council said that Persimmon, who owns the land, was not taking any action to evict the gypsies.