Gypsies caused a storm by driving on to the grass verge of Chippenham’s busiest road and setting up camp.

The group of 20 caravans and cars parked along the A350 opposite Bumpers Farm Industrial Estate on Tuesday.

Stewart Tasker, who works on the industrial estate, said they were distracting to drivers.

He said: “There are quite a few of them there and they were all lined up against the road.

“For any driver going along there it is obviously quite distracting.

“I think it is wrong they can just pitch up wherever they want.

“I agree they need somewhere permanent in the area, but just choosing a spot like this, they must know they are going to rile people.

“They are close to the rugby ground fields as well and if they leave mess all around there it could affect the games at the weekend.”

The news comes just months after a group of gypsies set up a camp in the centre of the industrial estate until they were told to move by police officers.

Sally Woodbury, chairman of the Romany Gypsy Advisory Group, said that many families felt forced into setting up illegal camps because there is nowhere for them to go.

She said: “There is such a shortfall of gypsy sites in Chippenham that this pattern is going to continue.

“Many feel that they have no other option than to go about it in this way.

“The council really needs to step up and sort out the provision for gypsies and travellers.

“We want to have harmony between the gypsies and the community.”

Earlier this month a group of seven Romany families lost their planning application to set up home in Wootton Bassett, despite offering to foot the bill for the development.