A CYCLING track will need an extensive clean-up to address safety fears once travellers camping on the site have moved on.

The camp of 13 caravans on a grassy area at Marsh Tracks, on the Glan Y Morfa Industrial Estate in Rhyl has forced the closure of the track and the cancellation of coaching sessions for more than a week.

Denbighshire County Council issued an eviction notice yesterday, giving the travellers 24 hours to depart.

Concerns have been raised about possible damage to the 1.2km road cycling circuit.

Mark Allen, a voluntary director of Marsh Tracks and development team leader for Welsh Cycling, said: “We’ve had to cancel all coaching sessions last week, including coaching sessions for children.

"This is disruptive for people from as young as three up.

“The major concern is that we’ve seen them using the track itself to race motorbikes and cars.

"This track has never had a motor vehicle on it – it’s not designed for that.

"We will have to know for certain there hasn’t been an oil spill anywhere on the route before we reopen it.”

The first group of four caravans and Transit vans arrived late on Monday, June 4 when a padlock on a fence barring entry to the site is believed to have been cut.

The following day, a further three vans arrived, with another two groups joining the camp during the week.

Mr Allen has contacted police twice since the travellers arrived.

It addition to possible oil spills, the group appear to have used the site as a makeshift dumping ground for disposing of commercial waste.

Mr Allen said: “We’ve already seen them depositing all kinds of rubbish on the track.

“They also have about 30 dogs with them, so as a matter of safety, it will have to stay closed for a while after they leave while we conduct a thorough cleaning operation on the site.”

So far 30 people have volunteered through social media to help clean the track once the camp moves on.

Mr Allen, added: “We need to get the circuit back into action as soon as possible.

"I’m also worried that cyclists using the nearby walking path and the cycle path from Marsh Tracks to Rhuddlan Nature Reserve may avoid the area if they feel intimidated by the camp.

“If there’s one good thing to come out of a pretty horrid situation, it’s that people are rallying behind us to help us get the track open as soon as possible.

"We're also incredibly grateful to the council. There's no way we could have afforded to begin legal proceedings ourselves."

A Denbighshire County Council spokesman said: “We are in contact with the tenants of Marsh Tracks and have advised them of what steps needs to be taken and will offer any help we can within the limits of our legal powers in this situation."

North Wales Police have been approached for comment.