Bundy Day memorial will go ahead as travellers leave Dallam fields

Bank Quay Bulls Rugby League Club raised fears last week that it would have to pause plans for its annual Bundy Day on August 6.

The event is organised in tribute to former player Alan ‘Bundy’ Clare, who passed away while on holiday.

The club said the memorial was in doubt this year due to repeated recent caravan invasions of the club’s Dallam Playing Fields home, much to the disappointment and frustration of organisers.

However, the club has now confirmed that this year’s Bundy Day will go ahead as planned.

This comes after the most recent group of travellers to pitch up on the Longshaw Street site left after being evicted by Cheshire Police.

A group of 16 caravans and associated vehicles moved onto Dallam Playing Fields on Sunday, just hours after a previous illegal encampment of three caravans finally left after 10 days.

Police in attendance on the Longshaw Street site

The camp vacated the site on Tuesday – although later than the notice served on them by police – with a clean-up operation launched by Warrington Borough Council.

Confirming the memorial will take place this year, Bank Quay Bulls posted on social media: “We are so happy to update you all that Bundy Day will go ahead as planned on Saturday, August 6.

“We hope you can join us in celebrating his life. This year is going to be bigger and better, and we cannot wait for the day.

“We are sure everyone who comes will have a great time. All our children are super excited, and some excellent rugby will be on show. We hope you can all join us on our special day.”

The club previously told the Warrington Guardian of the huge impact the recent encampment situation is having on its ability to provide sports opportunities for hundreds of children.

It had to halt training sessions and matches on their home pitches, which had a detrimental impact on the club as a whole, its volunteers and the local children who make up teams.

Council officers were spotted cleaning the field this week

Club chair Kelly Cragg said: “We have children playing at our club from five-years-old right through to 15, and after two years of no rugby or fundraising due to Covid, we have long anticipated our return to normality within the club.

“We have now been halted again by the appearance of travellers hijacking our playing fields, which has halted all rugby activity due to safeguarding concerns.

“This is the second time in just over a month where they have risked children’s safety by taking advantage of our training sessions and entering our pitches while our gates are open, to allow the safe arrival and departure of children attending training.

“Vehicles drove onto the field at speed so as not to be stopped from doing so, totally disregarding the heavy numbers of children present.

“I speak for all of our committee, volunteers, players and parents when I say that the frustration we feel is extremely high.”

The club has also raised a number of concerns over recent months regarding dog fouling on Dallam Playing fields.

Warrington Borough Council and Warrington South MP Andy Carter recently had their say on the situation.