Travellers’ plea to Wrexham residents: ‘Don’t be frightened of us’

By Claire Gallagher

TRAVELLERS have sent out a message to worried residents: ‘We’re not bad people’.

The Romany gipsies living on their own land off Daisy Lane, Rossett, are anxious to put their case after another group of travellers set up camp in Wrexham last week.

A group of travellers, unknown to the gipsies living at Daisy Lane, set up camp on Maesgwyn playing fields last week.

The Daisy Lane families say they have sympathy for the other group because there are not enough pitches for travellers in Wrexham.

Jeremy Wells, 30, who lives with his wife Lisa, 33, and their six children at Daisy Lane said: “The problem is there is nowhere to go for them and nowhere they can dispose of rubbish properly.”

Speaking about the public’s negative attitude to travellers, Mr Wells (pictured) said: “The problem is people don’t know us.“We want to say to the public ‘don’t be frightened of us’.

“We don’t want this negative image because we’re not all like that.“We have never caused any trouble here and live in a peaceful community.

“We don’t want to be tarred with the same brush as other travellers who may cause trouble.”

The six families on the site are waiting for the planning inspectorate to rule on an application to change the land from agricultural to have six caravan pitches.

They have spent thousands of pounds renovating the park to make it into a home and pay for electricity, have a sewage system and a septic tank as well as a small shed serving as a utility room.

Mr Wells added: “We pay our taxes like everyone else,” added Jeremy.

The children, Jeremy Jnr, three, Diomante, four, Analise, nine Shamalia, eight months, Soniell, eight and Sinead five, go to St Peter’s school in Rossett and Mr and Mrs Wells are registered with a doctor in Rossett.

Lisa Wells said: “It would be nice to have more respect,” said Lisa.

“A few people have not looked at me or have called my children names.”But the couple say that in general the community has been supportive.

The planning decision for the Daisy Lane site is expected in the next couple of weeks and say they will appeal if it does not go in their favour.