A group of young footballers were forced to cancel a game because travellers used their goal posts as a washing line – and hung their clothes out to dry.
Travellers set up camp on the football pitch at a recreation ground, moving six caravans and a lorry onto the grass.
The next morning, clothing could be seen hanging from the cross bar on the pitch in Maidstone, Kent, forcing a local youth team to move their training.
A father-of-two, who did not want to give his name, was due to run a training session for young children at the pitch on Park Wood Recreation Ground on Saturday..
The 37-year-old coach said: “I coach at a nearby team and I do a bit of coaching for my own boys and a couple of others on a Saturday or Sunday morning.
“We turned up on Saturday to find there was washing hung across the goal and we couldn’t play.
“It’s a shame because most clubs have finished training for the season so this is the only chance they’ll get to do a bit extra now.
“We’ll have to find somewhere else to train if they’re still there next weekend, this was just a bit unexpected.”
John Gregory used to live nearby and spotted the makeshift washing line when he returned to the area yesterday (Mon), to visit friends.
He said: “I thought it was hilarious. All my friends were laughing too, we were in fits.”
The land is owned by Maidstone Borough Council and a spokesman said police had issued an order saying all the vehicles had to be gone by 6pm on Monday evening
