Hundreds of homeowners have staged a march to protest over the colossal number of people living rough in vehicles on their beloved green spaces.
As many as 300 residents of Clifton and Redland – affluent areas of Bristol – marched on Thursday in a bid to force town hall bosses to take action.
More than 100 people – said to be a mix of travellers and those choosing to live in vans, cars and caravans – are parked on the Downs, where neighbouring homes sell for an average of £600,000.
Many claim they are forced into the lifestyle by unaffordable rents and tend to stay far longer than travellers who usually camp for just a few days then move on.
Protesters from the ‘Protect the Downs’ group claim their public green space is being ruined by the vehicle-dwellers, who they say ‘blame house prices’.
