PRESTONGRANGE Museum has been forced to close its doors at one of the busiest times of the year after a fleet of travelling caravans set up camp on its grounds.

Up to a dozen caravans descended on the council-owned land as the school holidays got under way in the county earlier this month.

And as the museum prepared to welcome visiting families it was forced instead to shut down, as waste spilled across the entrance.

It is understood that the travellers began arriving on site at the end of June after managing to access it through gaps between wooden bollards, installed to stop illegal parking.

Within days, the numbers on the large area of grass, had grown to double figures.

The museum, which runs a number of groups and classes for youngsters, announced the closure on its Facebook page on July 4, stating that “due to unforseen circumstances, we are going to be closed until further notice”.

One staff member told the Courier it had proved impossible to remain open for health and safety reasons.

He said: “The rubbish which was piling up and other waste posed a risk to public health; we could not remain open.

“It is extremely disappointing and frustrating, not just for us but for our many supporters who visit.” East Lothian Council said it had started legal action to evict the illegal visitors from the land.

This week, it appeared several of the caravans were moving on. The land was strewn with bags of rubbish, discarded gas cylinders, and even a dumped metal dog crate.

A spokesperson for the council said: “We are pursuing a legal action to evict the travelling people who are illegally parked at the Prestongrange Industrial Museum site.”