A school was forced to shut after travellers pitched 30 caravans on its playing field.

Hundreds of pupils were told to stay home and take online lessons due to the disruption last week.

Locals say that around 30 caravans "broke through school gates" on Friday 8 July to set up an encampment at Oakgrove Secondary School in Milton Keynes.

Police have reportedly visited but the group were refusing to leave the field.

On Sunday 10 July, the co-educational, academy school cited safety concerns for pupils and staff as it announced the closure.

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An email sent on Sunday stated: “The school and trust have done everything in [their] legal power to avoid a school closure, however at the moment the school or site is not safe for students or staff."

Year 7, 8 and 9 pupils were told to do remote learning via Google Classroom, while most of those in Year 10 and 12 were not impacted as they are on work experience placements.

Oakgrove school has around 2,250 pupils aged three to 19. The primary school and nursery sites were open as usual.

On Monday 11 July, police officers visited the site and served a Section 60c notice to the travellers.

The group had cleared the site by Monday evening, and officers seized four vehicles, three caravans and made two arrests.

One furious parent branded the situation as "disgusting".

Writing on Facebook, one said: "My husband just drove by Oakgrove and he says that it looks like there are 100s of them and they were driving their cars in circles on their sports field behind the school.

"This is just disgusting. And that police cannot do anything about this, they will destroy everything if they stay for a few days longer."

It is understood the travellers arrived after being moved on last week from Northamptonshire.

Local residents have claimed the group were making "unbelievable" noise at the school site in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Others say that some travellers caused "havoc" in local shops, including Waitrose.

One woman wrote on Facebook at 3.30am on Sunday: "A number of police units are there now FYI. The noise is unbelievable."

Another said: "The travellers just caused havoc in Waitrose!! I feel sorry for security!!!"