The full scale of the damage caused by Travellers to Gunnersbury Park today became apparent as the first stage of a huge clean-up operation drew to a close.

Hounslow Council's contractors have removed an estimated 90 tonnes of bulky waste from the grounds in the week since the Travellers upped sticks.

Another two skip-loads of loose rubbish and 200 tyres have also been collected from the site, on the borders of Brentford and Ealing.

Staff are now beginning to hand-pick litter from the park, which is expected to take two days, before repairs to the turf, which was badly damaged by the occupants' caravans and vans, begin next week.

The same path in Gunnersbury Park after the first stage in a huge clean-up operation was completed today (Wednesday, June 18)

A council spokesman today said the Bluebell Wood path had now been cleared and re-opened to the public.

He added that an ecologist had visited the path today to see how it could be restored to a more 'natural state' following the damage caused to vegetation by dumped rubble.

Travellers arrived at the park last Sunday (June 8) and left the following Wednesday, before spending a day at Blondin Park, a short distance away in Northfields.