About 12 caravans and eight horses arrived on the field in Northwood next to Prospect Hill Junior and Infant School at about 10pm on Thursday.

Though the school and nearby residents say they have not yet experienced any major upsets, the noise, rubbish and untethered animals are enough for people to want them gone.

Worksop police received six calls last Thursday night informing them that the travellers had arrived and informed Bassetlaw Council.

Coun Terry Yates, portfolio holder for finance and property and the council's deputy leader, said: "We served a notice to vacate the area on Friday and are currently going through the process of issuing proceedings to recover possession of the site."

But residents in the area are not happy and say they want to see the field returned to the use of the surrounding community as soon as possible.

Geoff, 59, and Nina Gale, 62, live opposite the travellers' temporary site on Beechcroft and are not impressed with their new neighbours.

"I'm all for the idea of live and let live but when I have to get up and go to work in the morning, it's no good me having to listen to dogs barking all night," said Geoff.

The couple say a neighbour's ginger tom cat, Elliott, is too frightened to go back home as there are so many dogs roaming around.

"There must be seven or eight Jack Russell dogs loose on the field and the horses aren't properly tethered either," said Nina.

"People usually walk their dogs out on that field but they're too scared to at the moment. Our cat has a bad leg and would have no chance."

June Wilson, 64, who lives on nearby Northwood finds herself disturbed by the noise from the site.

"On Monday night, it was really bad. I don't know what they were doing but there was a lot of clanging and loud music," she said.

A mum-of-three, who did not wish to be named, walks past the site to take her children to school and is worried that someone is going to get hurt by the dogs or horses.

"I am seriously considering not taking my kids into school. I was with them this morning and a horse leapt out in front of us," she said.

"There are dogs running around everywhere as well and I think they really need to be moved on."

Her five-year-old daughter added: "The playground at school smells really bad.