We like it here!

The group of travellers, who are currently living on an unused road behind the superstore, say they are not causing any trouble despite claims that late night parties have disturbed neighbours and that they have been taking food from Asda's bins.

Neil Swift, 30, lives on the site in a bus with his partner and dog and he says there have been no real problems with Asda or local residents.

He said: "We are good people and we have had no real problems. There are some people who are not happy with us being here but it is a bit of land that is not being used and probably will not be for sometime.

"There is no other place to go for us travellers really. There are not many spots where we can set up home. The council is crap. They say they are spending thousands of pounds on the gypsy site at Wheal Jewel but we can't live there because the gypsies don't like travellers and they have a very tight and closed kind of community."

Mr Swift did admit that they had a party over the Easter holiday and that the police had been called out after complaints were made by people living nearby.

He said: "We did have a rather loud party at Easter and someone complained. The police turned up and told us to shut the music off and we did. There was no trouble and they seemed quite happy.

"Many of us choose this kind of life. It is not something that we have been forced into. It is not like we are skint and we have to live like this because we all work. We like being mobile as we can go where the work is."

Mr Swift, who is trained as a chef and had previously worked in a fish and chip shop, said that both he and his partner travel around and take work where they can get it, whether it be flower or fruit picking in the summer.

Another traveller, Andy Cooper, echoed what Mr Swift had said: "The majority of us work hard and just want to get on with life. We have never set out to cause conflict with anybody. We chose this way of life we are not forced into it. If anything it's a practical necessity to our lifestyle to be able to move around, to go to where the work is.

"We are the same as anybody else. We are not some sort of illusive group of people who don't want to conform. We have just chosen a slightly different lifestyle, but are still very much a part of society and we are keen to support local communities."

Rumours that the travellers had been taking food from Asda's bins was denied by Ian Collings, profit improvement manager at the store. He said: "There have not been any cases of travellers taking food from our store or bins. We have had no real problem with them and they are not on Asda land so I am not overly concerned about them being there."

The travellers also denied that they had taken food from the store saying that the bins were almost impossible to get into anyway.

Richard Walker, of Walker Developments in Truro, who owns the land surrounding where the travellers are parked, shared Asda's lack of concern.

He said: "We own the land around where the travellers are living but they are actually on a public highway so it is not really a concern to us. I understand that several of them are students who can not afford to pay for proper housing. It is sad to see this but we cannot do a lot about it. The county council are monitoring it but if they move them they still have to find somewhere else for them to go."

But some residents did have some concerns about the travellers. Marion Hay, who lives at Kernick Gardens, said: "The only time we have really noticed the travellers is when we have seen some of them walking across the field at the back of our house. One of our neighbours said he had picked up a lot of rubbish that had been left in the field. There were bottles and cans everywhere but we don't know that it was them who left them there.

"We have had no real trouble but I just don't like the idea of them being there. It is just the thought of strangers being around and travellers have this reputation. They could be the most law abiding people but we just don't know."

Phil Eaton, gypsy and traveller liaison officer at Cornwall county council, said: "We have had very few calls about this. They are on county council land but we have a policy of tolerance and acceptance for travellers and unless they cause any major problems we have no reason to be concerned."

Mr Eaton said that a meeting had been arranged at the Carrick district council offices on May 15 to discuss the situation.