Peterlee Police are keeping a watchful eye after complaints about the antics of the group around the Pulley Wheel memorial in Front Street, Shotton Colliery.

Shotton councillors Hugh High and Alfred Collinson say they have received a number of complaints about the travellers from residents living close to the site.

They include claims that the travellers have been racing through the village on horse and cart traps and the horses left tethered to the memorial.

The travellers have previously camped near the Tilery area in Shotton but residents have taken issue with their new location.

Coun High said he was worried about the travellers' carts "racing through the village" and horses being tethered to the pulley wheel.

"Ok, they are classed as travellers but the site they are on is totally inappropriate. It's a memorial.

"There are piles of horse muck all over the place. That site was kept nice. They are desecrating the memorial site."

Coun Collinson added: "They normally make their encampment down the road but this year people think they are desecrating the memorial site. Something has to be done to protect it.

"We appreciate they've got to go somewhere. It's the fact that the site is dedicated to the people that died in the pits. It's not an area where you expect travellers to be encamped around.

"All the tracks across the grassed area and all the horse dung piled up makes the site look rather unsightly and it's very close to the residents, who I've received complaints from."

The travellers are thought to have come from Station Town or Trimdon, on their way to Appleby in Cumbria.

Sergeant Tony Hawkes, of Peterlee Police, said Coun High had passed on the complaints.

Scott McInally, strategic manager for communities at Durham County Council, said officers were not aware of the tethering during any of their site visits.

He added that the travellers had indicated they intend to move within the next few days.

Mr McInally said: "We have advised them about the importance of the miners' memorial to the community and they are co-operating with our requests to keep the site clean.

"By working with the travelling communities in this way we hope to encourage their co-operation in looking after sites and ensuring they are left in a clean and tidy condition, and therefore reduce any tension between them and people living nearby."