Travellers leave massive clean-up operation after descending on Appleby horse fair
Rubbish in a field at the end of the Appleby Horse Fair, the annual gathering of the travelling community in Appleby, Cumbria
PA
Travellers have been accused of leaving the site of a popular horse fair in an absolute “state” as locals launch a huge clean-up operation.
Members of the traveller community gathered for their annual get-together at the Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria.
The event, which is not expected to end until Wednesday, this year witnessed fields of cardboard boxes, plastic bags and crates left behind by attendees.
It has been claimed that many travellers left earlier amid concern that forecasted rain could leave some attendees stranded in the muddy field.
Rubbish in a field at the end of the Appleby Horse Fair, the annual gathering of the travelling community in Appleby, Cumbria
PA
Main celebrations in Appleby-in-Westmorland were held over the weekend, with images showing horse drawn carriages and the hoofed mammals riding through a nearby river.
The Appleby Fair is not officially an organised event but is held on the first Thursday of June every year.
However, it has a long history and is described as the “biggest date in the calendar” for the travelling community.
It reaces its history back to Janes II after he granted a royal charter allowing a horse fair “near the River Eden” in 1685.
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People and horses in the river at the Appleby Horse Fair, the annual gathering of the travelling community in Appleby
PA
Some members of the traveller community claim the event dates back as far as Roman times.
A contractor working on the clean-up operation told the MailOnline: “Some of the fields look a state at the moment - but they will be cleaned up in no time.
“It might look a mess, but that’s what you get when you have a gathering of thousands of people. I can’t imagine it is different at any music festival.
“Our aim is to restore the fields to normal as soon as possible. In a few days’ time you won’t be able to tell that the fair was ever here.”
The campsite at the Appleby Horse Fair, the annual gathering of the travelling community in Appleby, Cumbria
PA
One shopkeeper added: “The street cleaners will be able to tell you all sorts of horror stories about the things they find.
“The rubbish is certainly an issue, but the street cleaners do a fantastic job.
“We have stayed open during the fair, but our takings are actually down because so many local residents leave. But it is what is.”
Around 10,000 members of the travelling community attended last year’s event, with attendees from around the world descending on the Cumbrian market town.