Members of the public have been horrified by what has been left at a Swindon beauty spot after travellers decamped from the area.

Witnesses saw approximately ten caravans and associated vehicles parked around the 40-hectare community woodland of Shaw Forest Park on Thursday, July 25 and discovered that the lock on the main gate had been cut off and the security bar had been removed. 

They remained until Thursday, August 1 before leaving the West Swindon outdoor space.

According to locals, what had been left behind included soiled nappies, toilet paper and faeces, used condoms, household waste and rotting food.

One mother and her ten-year-old son were among members of the public who stepped in to help clear the mess, litter picking where they could. 

She said: "There were lots of nappies and also a double buggy and mattress and an old hot tub and concrete building stuff looked fly-tipped and clothes and kids toys and sadly used condoms which we did not get near.

"We spoke to a few dog walkers and they thanked us for helping the community as plastic toys were left around broken and there was rotten food."

Nearby residents described the area as having a 'terrible stench' making it 'not nice to walk around'.

Some trees had also knocked down, and parts of the field had been damaged by fires being lit, it has been claimed.

Lots of garden and household waste had also been dumped near the footpaths. 

Photos of what had been left behind were shared in Facebook community groups, sparking outrage from the neighbourhood.

One said: "It’s grim, I had to stop my dog from eating something unmentionable. No need for it

Another added: "Some lessons need to be learnt and actions taken to reduce the impact on our community."

Swindon Borough Council were made aware of the arrival of the group at the time and visited with police who decided not to take any action. 

They returned once the group had left and began clearing it up, as well as repairing the height barrier and securing access with chains. 

It is understood that all of the mess has now been cleaned up. 

The area is managed by the council's ranger team and also the Shaw Resident's Assocation. It was originally Old Shaw Farm Landfill which has been slowly reforested over the years.