TRAVELLERS could be left without a place to set up camp in Nailsea this summer.

TRAVELLERS could be left without a place to set up camp in Nailsea this summer.

Nailsea Town Council has drawn up a list of hotspots in the area, which members think could be targeted by groups of travellers and are looking at ways to protect them.

For the past two years travellers have left piles of rubbish in Lodge Lane, Hawthorn Way and Pound Lane after setting up illegal encampments.

They also caused trouble with residents due to excess noise from generators.

The town council is hoping that by drawing up a list of the most vulnerable areas, protective measures can then be put in place to keep convoys off the land.

At a meeting on February 6, members of the town council's planning and environmental committee agreed to ask North Somerset Council to carry out risk assessments at each spot to highlight the most likely targets.

Town council clerk, Ian Morrell, said: "We had travellers in 2006 and 2007 and they caused some damage and left a terrible mess

"The idea or the risk assessment is to look at each spot, identify the most high risk areas and look at how much it would cost to put protective measures in place."

Land at Lodge Lane, Golden Valley Playing Fields, Greenfield Crescent Playing Fields, fields at The Grove and land at Pound Lane have been highlighted as possible vulnerable areas.

North Somerset Council has already earmarked £3,000 to put up fencing and hedges at Hawthorn Way to prevent travellers from returning to the site and work has also been carried out to secure land at Lodge Lane next to The Elms.

The town council is now hoping funding can also be secured to protect other beauty spots in the town.