KIRKBY STEPHEN residents labelled this year’s lead up to Appleby Horse Fair as the ‘worst’ in memory.

More than 200 people gathered in Kirkby Stephen’s Grammar School on Tuesday night to air their views on the event and the days before it.

Kirkby Stephen’s county councillor Phil Dew chaired the meeting, which attracted both residents and those from further afield.

“We had a particularly difficult time in Kirkby Stephen this year,” Cllr Dew told the Gazette. “I think we had a 42 per cent increase in the number of travellers gathering in Kirkby Stephen.”

He explained that they had been camping along the A685 and that police had just ‘not been ready’ for the influx.

“They just absolutely did what they liked,” Cllr Dew said. “The police presence number most of the time was maybe three at the most to control hundreds of travellers.”

Cllr Dew said that it was suggested that the field that the travellers camp on in Appleby was opened up earlier to avoid the ‘pre-fair’ in Kirkby Stephen and surrounding areas.

“People who have lived in Kirkby Stephen all their lives have said this was by far the worst year,” he added.

Also at the meeting were chairman of Appleby Fair’s Multi-Agency Strategic Co-ordinating Group, Eden District Council Deputy Chief Executive Matthew Neal and Superintendent Mark Pannone of Cumbria Constabulary.

They said in a joint statement that police will look at providing more support in the run up to next year’s fair.

“An immediate issue of concern is that it became clear some people have witnessed incidents and behaviour they are not happy with but have not reported those issues to the police,” it said. “This causes great difficulty for the police in achieving an accurate, real-time picture of what is going on. If issues are not reported at the time, it hinders the ability of the police to respond effectively to issues as they arise.”

South Lakeland district councillor for Sedbergh Sheila Capstick said that around 25 people attended Sedbergh’s public meeting at the People’s Hall on Monday.

“It’s been a very bad year. We have not had a bad year like this for a long time,” she said.

Gypsy and Traveller Billy Welch, a member of the Multi Agency Co-ordinating Group (MASCG), attended both of the meetings. “I think we were singing off the same hymn sheet,” Cllr Capstick said, of Mr Welch. “People want things to be calmer as they are coming through.”

She added that although she understood the police had ‘limited resources’, she wanted to see more police on the streets.

“I hope we get it under control and I believe with Billy Welch’s help we can do this,” she said.

She added that Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall had ‘backed’ the community.