East Lothian Council calls in cleaning squads after human faeces left behind by illegal campers

A specialist clean-up crew had to be sent into a site used by illegal campers after they were ordered to leave to remove ‘large quantities’ of human faeces.

The land, known locally as the shinty field has been renamed the “sh**ty field” by locals after the departure of 40 cars and caravans from it over the weekend.

East Lothian Council applied to the sheriff court for an order to remove the visitors, who gained access to the field, next to Levenhall Links bird reserve, outside Musselburgh, by breaking down gates two weeks ago.

Sheriffs officers delivered the eviction notices to the campers on Friday and they packed up and left during the weekend.

The council said one of the damaged gates has been repaired with a second gate needing to be replaced.

As well as human waste, van loads of garden waste from gravel to bark and tree branches has been dumped around the field, indicating the unwanted visitors were carrying out local jobs while staying in the area.

And there are several sites where fires had been lit causing damage to the field and surrounding natural vegetation with items thrown into the flames including dog bowls and pans.

One dogwalker who visited to popular beauty spot on Monday said: “I was relieved to see the caravans had gone but I was warned not to walk in the field by council workers who were there picking up what they said were large piles of human excrement.

“It’ll be known as the sh**ty field now, not the shinty field. It is a relief to everyone that they have moved on.”

Locals had raised concerns about the travelling camp after people were spotted riding off road motorbikes and quadbikes around the reserve which is home to a number of wading and migrating birds throughout the year.

A council spokesperson said: “A specialist team was sent in to remove quantities of human waste that posed an immediate health hazard and a considerable amount of garden waste was left.

“All this requires to be removed as garden species/plants are not appropriate within this nature reserve. Unfortunately other waste including car tyres and a number of fire sites also require to be removed/cleared.”