DOZENS of travellers have set up camp on sports pitches in Blackbird Leys.

About 20 vehicles including 10 caravans moved on to the Sandy Lane sports fields off Blackbird Leys Road early this week.

The pitches are used by both adult and children’s football teams.

James Bruce, the owner of East Oxford Football Club, said that he was concerned about the team’s first home fixture of the season against Chinnor that is scheduled to take place at Sandy Lane this weekend.

He said the club have not been able to train on the pitches since the travellers arrived and were forced to pay for memberships at a gym to keep fit.

Different locations for friendly matches have been found but the game on Saturday has already been paid for.

Mr Bruce added that travellers have set up on the site before.

Tony Ecclestone, a spokesperson for Oxford City Council, said the local authority was aware of the caravans and was ‘working with the police to move them on.’