Police have encouraged farmers and landowners to take steps to keep travellers and gipsies from setting up illegal camps.

It comes after a series of problems with groups of gipsies in the Bristol area during the past fortnight.

A group with 14 caravans, horse boxes and other vehicles moved on to farmland at Whitchurch off the A37.

Then they moved on to a field in Stockwood, before going to Severn Beach where they set up camp in the car park of Gloster Furniture.

Police issued the group with a notice to leave under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

They moved off on Monday night, leaving behind a pile of waste, but have not been seen since.

Bristol city, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset councils last night said they were not aware of any further problems.

A different group of travellers also tried to set up home on a field next to the Moorgate Farm development in Portbury just off The Sheepway a fortnight ago.

A convoy of caravans got into the field, next to the housing development but were quickly moved on by police.

The group arrived mid morning and, following complaints from local residents, moved off the site by early afternoon.

Portbury Parish Council chairman, Les Summerfield, said: "The latest group of travellers got on to a field adjacent to the housing development at Moor Farm.

"Initially there were six caravans, but we had reports that there were a number of other travellers waiting to get on to the same site and that they were waiting in Sheepway.

"The problem is that once a site is found the word gets around and often many more travellers arrive.

"The police acted very fast and moved the group on quickly and they were only on site for about four hours."

"We believe the travellers who arrived in the village recently had been in Portbury before."

A group of half a dozen travellers, believed to be a different group, had also set up camp at Old Mill Road in Portishead days before the Portbury group.

Portishead police Sergeant Lee Ashdown said: "I would encourage all landowners to make sure their property is secure as this will help prevent future illegal encampments."

The warning comes at the same time as North Somerset Council is looking for locations for new traveller sites.