Patient services ‘not affected’, according to Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust after travellers settle at Lymington New Forest Hospital car park, off Wellworthy Road

HEALTH chiefs at Lymington hospital have said patient access to services is unaffected after travellers settled in the staff car park at.

Police and New Forest District Council were alerted to the unauthorised encampment at the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust-run facility in Wellworthy Road during the weekend.

This came after a settlement which had been on Ashley recreation ground, near New Milton Rugby Club, since last Monday moved on by Friday.

As reported by the A&T, the handful of caravans was served notice to leave the site, off Molyneaux Road, by New Forest District Council the previous night.

Regarding the hospital settlement, an NHS trust spokesperson said: “At this present time staff are still able to use free spaces and those at the front of the hospital and there is no impact on patients accessing services.”

It has not been confirmed whether or not the hospital travellers are related to the Ashley group, as well as those that were recently on the nearby Ampress estate or a field near Moyles Court School in Ringwood.

A Hampshire police spokesperson said: “We are aware of an unauthorised encampment in a carpark on Ampress Lane, Lymington.

“Our officers have attended the site to assess the situation.

“We are working with the landowners to seek a suitable resolution.”

As previously reported, Moyles Court’s head teacher shut the school two days early for half-term after the travellers appeared on 24th May.

There were reports some of the group allegedly tried to enter the private school’s playing fields while they were being used by pupils.

They left the site three days later.