A group of people who were discovered living in tents in woodland near St Ives have been moved on by the district council.

The Hunts Post: A group was found living in The Thicket, St Ives.A group was found living in The Thicket, St Ives. (Image: Archant)

The group were spotted by dog walkers and members of Houghton and Wyton Parish Council after litter - including broken glass, discarded tents, and cans - was sprawled across a patch of The Thicket.

Huntingdonshire District Council was alerted to the group by concerned residents and action was taken to move them on from the site.

Officers from the authority’s enforcement and operations team visited the area to determine why the group had set up camp in the wood.

During the visit, the group were given rubbish bags and were served notice that they had to leave the site by midday on August 16.

A spokesman for the district council said: “Officers conducted two further visits to the site before establishing on August 15 that the site had been abandoned.”

Despite being given bags to clear up their rubbish, officers found smashed glass, bottles, pillows and tents left behind by the group.

Following the discovery the operations team and the council cleared the site on August 16, leaving it clean and tidy, while making sure it was safe for walkers, visitors and dogs to continue to use.

As part of their visits to the site, a spokesman for the council added that officers also advised the group to visit the authority’s headquarters in Huntingdon to determine whether they would be eligible for assistance with housing.

Councillor Angie Dickinson, executive member for community resilience, regulatory and wellbeing, said: “The community and protection enforcement team and operations responded quickly to the concerns of local residents and dog walkers.

“The district council takes issues very seriously that are reported to us. I am delighted that the area has been brought back into use quickly and can continue to be enjoyed by those who visit the area.”