PUPILS are being asked to work from home after travellers pitched up on a school playground.

In a letter to parents, Rhyl High School penned: "We have been informed that travellers have entered our school playground.

"All year groups except year 11 will move to remote learning for Friday, April 30. Year 11 can attend site as normal."

"We have taken this decision, with advice from Denbighshire council, as a health and safety precaution whilst we risk assess the situation."

Dr James Davies, Vale of Clwyd MP, is calling on Denbighshire County Council to take "immediate and firm" action to move on travellers.

He said: “Given the further disruption to pupil education that this will bring, during what has already been a very bad year for education,, I would be keen for the strongest action to be taken as is possible.

“This week alone there has been an unauthorised encampment at Bastion Road in Prestatyn, followed by similar at Rhyl High School, and last year residents and businesses were up in arms after travellers set up camp on the car park located adjacent to the CookHouse Pub and Carvery in Prestatyn. 

“Unauthorised encampments can cause much disruption to residents and businesses, and this time to the education of our children, and people are desperate to see an end to the problem.    

“I therefore welcome new police powers for encampments in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, through the introduction of a new criminal offence of trespass with the intent to reside. 

“The Government is committed to delivering a cross-government strategy to tackle the inequalities faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, but these new powers would reduce the difficulties that residents in the Vale of Clwyd are currently faced with several times each year.

“I urge Denbighshire to act quickly to deal with the latest incident, so that Rhyl High School grounds are vacated by the travellers in time for all years to return to the school after the Bank Holiday weekend.”