Staff at a furniture company in Severn Beach said travellers who set up an illegal camp in the car park had left piles of rubbish on the site and other land nearby.

The families turned up last Thursday at the Gloster Furniture premises after leaving two fields in Whitchurch.

There are currently 11 caravans, horse boxes and other vehicles at the outdoor furniture company's headquarters in Collins Drive.

A letter has been given to them by the firm informing them they are on private land and asking them to leave.

It is thought the travellers might move on anyway as Stow Horse Fair, which attracts hundreds of gipsies, takes place this week in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire.

Derek Buxton, logistics manager at Gloster Furniture, said: "There's an awful lot of rubbish that has been left here.

"They've also tipped things like fridges across the road on land that doesn't belong to us."

Mr Buxton said he had been in contact with South Gloucestershire Council traveller unit but he was still waiting for someone to come out and talk with the families.

He said: "No one from the council has come down, not even its gipsy liaison group."

The arrival of the travellers has prevented staff and customers from using the car park but because it's private land, the council and police said there was nothing they could do.

It's also the second time in just three weeks that travellers have settled on the site, with the last families allegedly damaging the company building and leaving rubbish strewn across the land.

Sarah Hudspith, spokeswoman at South Gloucestershire Council, said: "The council has been contacted about an unauthorised encampment at Severn Beach.

"However, as the encampment is on private land, it is up to the owner of the land to take steps to remove them.

"The travellers unit can provide advice and assistance but has no powers to remove travellers from private land."