A clean-up operation is underway after travellers parked illegally in a lay by in Portbury left it covered with human excrement and rubbish.
The group of four caravans set up illegal camp on the lay by at the top of Portbury High Street 10 days ago.
The group moved off the site on VE Day, but left a scene of rubbish behind them.
Human excrement and used tissues have been left inbetween cars parked on the lay by and rubbish has been thrown in the undergrowth.
A used gas canister has been left along with bags of rubbish and a bin style incinerator.
North Somerset Council has asked its contractors to clean up the site.
Portbury Parish Council chairman Councillor Mike Phipps said: “The lay by has been left in a mess.
“North Somerset Council has been informed and has appointed its contractors to go out and clean up the area.”
The lay-by on the A369 at the top of Portbury High Street is owned by North Somerset Council.
The lay by is normally used by car park by car sharing commuters heading into Bristol and further afield.
However it isclassed as a public highway, making it illegal to sleep in a caravan on it.
In the past it has also been used by delivery drivers as a place to stay overnight.
The parish council is now planning to discuss with North Somerset Council how to prevent further encampments.
One suggestion put forward is to put a height restriction barrier at the entrance to prevent caravans from getting in.
Mr Phipps added: “The lay by is well used by commuters and we do not want to close it.
“The last thing we want is for those commuters to end up parking in the village.
“We will be discussing with North Somerset Council the best thing to do to stop this sort of thing happening again.”
North Somerset is a popular stop off with travellers during the summer months when they arrive in the district looking for work.
Currently the council has no transient sites for travellers where they can be moved onto.
However the district does offer a number of permanent pitches for the travelling community including the Willowmead site and a newly developed site at the Old Junction Yard, both in Weston-super-Mare.
