A school has been forced to shut after travellers pitched 30 caravans on its playing field. Hundreds of pupils were told to stay home and take online lessons due to the disruption.
Locals say that around 30 caravans "broke through school gates" on Friday to set up an encampment at Oakgrove Secondary School in Milton Keynes, Bucks. Police have reportedly visited but the group are refusing to leave the field, which is due to host a sports day on Tuesday.
On Sunday, the co-educational, academy school cited safety concerns for pupils and staff as it announced the closure. An email sent on Sunday stated: “The school and trust have done everything in [their] legal power to avoid a school closure, however at the moment the school or site is not safe for students or staff."
Year 7, 8 and 9 pupils were told to do remote learning via Google Classroom, while most of those in Year 10 and 12 are not impacted as they are on work experience placements. Oakgrove school has around 2,250 pupils aged three to 19. The primary school and nursery sites are open as usual.
It is understood the travellers arrived after being moved on last week from Northamptonshire. Local residents have claimed the group were making "unbelievable" noise at the school site in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Thames Valley Police were contacted for comment.
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