A court order has been served requiring the removal of caravans that arrived unannounced on the edge of Redcar Athletic's junior football pitches, after the unauthorised encampment forced the club to cancel Saturday fixtures and a week-long holiday coaching course.
Eviction notice and local disruption
Club officials said the group arrived at the playing fields at lunchtime on Sunday and immediately affected the planned use of the site. As a result the club cancelled scheduled games and DT Sports Coaching, which runs holiday courses at the ground, withdrew its programme for the coming week.
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council confirmed a notice had been served to the occupiers, giving them until 12:00 BST on Thursday to vacate the land before further enforcement action is taken. Cleveland Police said the eviction process is ongoing.
- Arrival: Caravans arrived at Redcar Athletic playing fields at lunchtime on Sunday.
- Deadline: Occupants given until 12:00 BST on Thursday to leave, council said.
- Impact: Matches cancelled and a holiday coaching course called off due to the presence of the camp.
Community concern and damage reported
Redcar Athletic's club leadership expressed concern about the proximity of vehicles to the pitches and reports of damage. The club president said the priority was protecting the ground and safeguarding scheduled activities for young players.
"The last thing we want is vehicles moving in or near our pitches, everything has been cancelled and that is the situation at the moment,"
He added that there had been reports vehicles had driven around the pitches and nearby streets, raising worries about turf damage and the suitability of the site for training and matches once the camp has gone.
Coaching provider apologises to parents
DT Sports Coaching, which had planned to run a holiday course this week, issued an apology to parents after deciding to cancel. In a statement the organisation said it had tried contacting other venues locally but could not secure an alternative at short notice that was both available and suitable for the course.
"I hope you understand the difficult situation we have been put in and respect our decision, my apologies once again,"
The provider said the decision to cancel had been "extremely difficult", underlining the knock-on effects that unauthorised encampments can have on community sports provision and the limited spare capacity for such activities in the area.
What happens next
With a court order now in place, local authorities and the police have set a clear deadline for the camp to be cleared. If the occupiers do not leave by the stated time, the council has indicated it will proceed with further enforcement action, which could include physical removal of vehicles and solicitors' steps to recover possession.
| Event | Detail |
|---|---|
| Camp arrival | Sunday, lunchtime — caravans on edge of junior pitches |
| Eviction notice | Issued by council; deadline 12:00 BST Thursday |
| Local impact | Matches and DT Sports Coaching holiday course cancelled |
Residents and parents in Redcar have been left awaiting the outcome, with concern over the condition of the playing surface and the wider availability of places for children to take part in summer activities. The cancellation underscores how limited spare capacity at local venues can leave community groups vulnerable when unexpected events occur.
Local teams and coaching providers will now assess any damage to pitches once access is restored and look to reschedule lost sessions where possible. The council and police have said they will provide updates as the enforcement process continues.
