Travellers who spent the weekend camped in Oxford's South Park said last night they had been left with no other choice.

As frustrated residents criticised police for not responding to Friday's influx of 10 caravans, a spokesman for the group said the lack of authorised sites forced them commit trespass wherever they went.

The group cut chains to gain entrance and by last night 15 caravans were camped near the Morrell Avenue entrance.

An eviction notice was expected to be served today, (Monday) but the travellers, who were in Oxford to celebrate a wedding, said they would be gone within the next couple of days.

A spokesman for the families, who gave his name only as Charlie, said they were forced to break the law to be able to celebrate a wedding together. He insisted they were not troubling anybody, and promised they would keep the site tidy.

He added: "Because there's no official site, we had to find somewhere suitable and clean. We wouldn't have chosen to enter an open park, but the council doesn't have anywhere official."

"We're having a problem in Oxfordshire, we're not being provided for."

He said the lack of an official site meant difficulties for the children's schooling. He added: "For the benefit of the kids I do think the council needs to provide somewhere to stop."

There are six legal camps for travellers in Oxfordshire outside the city centre -- at Standlake, East Challow, Benson, Wheatley, Sandford-on-Thames and Redbridge Hollow, in Oxford.

Each has fresh running water, can hold a total of 80 people and all are running at near or full capacity.

There was no trouble at South Park over the weekend, but some nearby residents said they did not feel comfortable going into the park.

Some said they were angry that the travellers appeared to be getting away with breaking the law.

Police were called about their arrival on Friday evening, but residents claim nothing was done.

An Oxford police spokesman said the matter was being investigated, but refused to comment further.

One resident in Cross Street, who did not want to be named, said she called to alert police early on Friday evening, but no officers turned up.

The woman, who said she had not been in the park since the travellers arrived. said: "There have not been the problems there were last time, but it's still annoying. It's not just trespassing, it's breaking and entering, and they will get away with it.

"It's the fact they can come into an area and take over a green park just like that and think nothing of it." She said a previous wedding party on the same site had been noisy and rowdy, although this had not been repeated this weekend.

"It was very quiet. I didn't even wake up and I was waiting to hear the noise. They are a lot better," she said.

Neil Forman, of Morrell Avenue, said the families had been "as good as gold". But he added: "The one thing I find strange about it is that if me and my mate parked up there in our cars, we would only be there for five minutes before the police were down."

A neighbour, who also did not want to be named, said: "I have a camper van, and I pay £15 a night to stay somewhere. How much are they going to pay? That's my only grouse. And, who's going to pay for the damage on the gate?"

The city council was due to serve an eviction notice to the travellers today.

Spokesman Nick Spencer said this morning: "A council officer, accompanied by two police officers, will serve them with an eviction notice sometime today."

Kate Smith, a police spokesman, said: "We are expecting them to move today or tomorrow."

Damage done to the lock of South Park gate is estimated at £50 by the city council.