Travellers have ignored police advice and arrived at the site of Appleby horse fair even though Europe’s biggest gathering of gipsies has been cancelled this year due to coronavirus.
Appleby Horse Fair was cancelled for just the second time in its 250 year history because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Police and gipsy leaders urged people not to travel, but to the fury of locals around 100 arrived with their horses in the Cumbria town on Sunday.
One local said: ‘Everybody knew this was going to happen, there was no way they would stay away and they were able to arrive here without being checked.
Gipsies descended on Appleby yesterday despite warnings from police and community leaders to stay away as the mass gathering has been cancelled
Pictured: People turn out for the event in Appleby yesterday despite the Head Gipsie and police telling them to stay away due to the pandemic
A horse is pictured with a cart at Appleby despite the fair being cancelled as locals were dismayed to see people descend on the Cumbrian town yesterday
‘For the week leading up to the fair there were gipsy caravans parked around the town which would disappear and then turn up somewhere else.
‘We have an older population in this area and people in the town are being cautious about coronavirus. We hoped the gipsy community would respect that but it’s no surprise to see them here.
‘The police did nothing to stop them coming and took no action as they were riding their horses up and down the street.’
Pictured: People turn out in Appleby for the cancelled horse fair to the outrage of locals concerned about Covid transmission among their elderly population
Pictured: A sign warns people that the gates will not be opening for this year’s Appleby Horse Fair due to the pandemic
Before the fair started a gipsy leader warned families to stay away.
Billy Welch, known as the Shera Rom or Head Gipsy, said: ‘The fair is cancelled and I will not be coming to open the gates.
‘We have spread the word round our community and I hope people don’t show up. The current situation with Covid-19 is bad and I wouldn’t want any of my family put in danger or the chance of the settled community being put in any danger. Over the weeks there you will see people moving around the country. This is what we do, it’s our heritage.’
Travellers are pictured turning up in Appleby yesterday despite being told to stay away due to the coronavirus pandemic
Travellers descended on Appleby in Cumbria yesterday despite being told that the event was cancelled due to Covid-19
Pictured: Horses in Appleby despite community leaders and the police telling travellers that the fair was cancelled
Gipsies descended on Appleby for what is usually the continent’s biggest gathering for their community despite the horse fair being called off
A spokesman for Cumbria Police said: ‘We are aware of the presence of a number of Gipsy and Traveller visitors in and around Appleby.
‘Many of the visitors are now leaving. Following discussions, our understanding is the visitors had no intention of staying overnight. Officers will continue to monitor the situation.
‘We would stress that Appleby Horse Fair is not taking place this year, in line with efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19, and would strongly advise anyone who is still planning to travel to this area for this purpose to stay away.’
The event would normally bring 10,000 gipsies i around 1,000 caravans and a total 30,000 visitors to watch the showing and trading of horses.
Traditionally the travellers wash their mounts in the river Eden before leading them up to the show field. Local people feared the travellers would arrive last Thursday, which would have been the first day of the fair.
But in the event only one turned up. Ken Redhead made a four hour, 420 mile round trip from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, to find he was the only person at the showfield.
Ken said: ‘It’s the best day of the year, a wonderful event which brings riches into Appleby and a great craic for everyone else, I love the event and have come for the past 15 years.
‘I was thinking a few more might have shown up and we could stand and have a talk and a meet up – at a safe distance of course.
‘I know the police weren’t keen on us turning up this year and I do understand that, I think it’s important for everyone to keep safe and I’m sure we could have had a nice time without getting too close.
‘But I got here to find the gates chained up and never saw sight nor sound of any caravans or travelling people, which is a shame. I think I may as well just head off back to Norfolk and look forward to next year.’