RESIDENTS who give odd jobs to travellers deserve to foot the bill for the mess left behind, claim Neighbourhood Watch supporters.

The claims have come in the wake of protests that £14,000 of taxpayers' money was used to clear a field invaded by travellers at the Pyebush Roundabout at the entrance to Beaconsfield Old Town, as the owner of the site could not be traced.

Simon Woolf, a Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator in Beaconsfield, said: "For some time we have been telling the people of Beaconsfield that if you don't like the mess left by travellers and the costs associated with the clearing up of their rubbish, then stop employing them.

"If there is no work for travellers, then there is no reason for them to invade Beaconsfield.

"However, people in Beaconsfield seem happy to employ itinerant workman calling at their door.

"Personally, I think the £14,000 bill is the price we in Beaconsfield have to pay for those selfish and foolish few who seem incapable of employing bona fide workmen.

"It is not the responsibility of the owner of a field to pay for the costs of cleaning up 'our' rubbish left by people we 'employ'."

The Beaconsfield Neighbourhood Watch magazine, Searchlight, published an article pleading with residents not to offer travellers casual work.

Sergeant Gerry Lister, of Beaconsfield police, said: "We would urge residents to only employ people they have contacted in advance and not those who come cold-calling, offering work."