Travellers who simply moved across the road to another city-centre car park after being evicted from the first one were today accused of "cocking a snook at the law" by a councillor.

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, executive member for the environment, spoke out as Bradford Council took legal action for the second time in days to move the travellers off St Thomas's Road 100-space car park.

The travellers arrived on the nearby Simes Street car park 11 days ago and set up an illegal camp on the Council land. The Council obtained an order in Bradford County Court last Friday for immediate repossession of the car park, near the Oastler shopping centre. But the travellers did not move out until Monday evening - and they only moved onto another car park opposite.

The Council said they left a mess at Simes Street including broken bottles, canisters and furniture which cost the authority hundreds of pounds to clear.

The Council is in County Court again today seeking repossession of the car park. Today the travellers said they moved to St Thomas's Road because they were being hounded and did not cause nuisance or create mess. Thomas Jones said his daughter Norah had just given birth and they wanted to settle for a time.

He added: "We have been told by the Council we must be off here by next Wednesday but we want to stay in Bradford. The Council should sell us some land we could live on."

Jeff Frankel, chairman of Brad-ford Retail Action Group, said: "When travellers occupy a city-centre car park they do a disservice to the public, the business community and themselves."

Coun Hawkesworth said she supports the repossession order at Simes Street and hopes the Council can take legal steps to get the travellers off St Thomas's Road quickly.