Patients are having to be dropped off near a Sudbury health centre as buses cannot access the site due to a group of travellers setting up camp outside.

The group arrived on Sunday morning at Delphi Diesel Systems staff car park before moving to Church Field Road outside Sudbury Community Health Centre.

The centre is still open, and patients are being advised to attend appointments as normal.

A spokesman for NHS Property Services, which owns the building, said legal procedures will soon be initiated against the travellers.

A group of three caravans also broke away from the health centre to return to Delphi sports field, which forced the cancellation of activities on Sunday and Monday.

The three caravans then moved on to land next to Homebase which was previously FS car wash before moving again to Acton Road in the town.

Eight caravans are currently outside the health centre.

A spokesman for Sudbury Town Council said a meeting was held on Tuesday morning with the private landowners to discuss protocols around the encampments.

Suffolk police said welfare checks have been carried out by the traveller liasion officer and it is continuing to monitor the situation.

Councillor Jack Owen, former mayor, who is also involved with the Delphi Centre, said: “It’s disappointing because two days of activities had to be cancelled.

“Lots of groups use the facility and unfortunately they all had to be cancelled on Sunday and Monday.

“Things are now back to normal today.”

A spokesperson for NHS Property Services said: “We have been working with local partner agencies, including the Norfolk and Suffolk Gypsy and Traveller Liaison Service, since the weekend and will soon be initiating a legal procedure to ensure the vehicles move off the site as soon as possible.

“Patients should continue to attend appointments at the centre as normal.

“Revised vehicle access arrangements are in place so patients can still get to the centre but unfortunately public transport buses cannot currently access the site and are dropping off passengers nearby on Church Field Road.”

A spokesman for Suffolk police said: “Police are aware of two traveller encampments in Sudbury – one near to the community health centre and a smaller one on Acton Road.

“We are working closely with partner agencies including the town council under agreed protocols around unauthorised encampments.

“Welfare checks have been carried out and co-ordinated by the traveller liaison officer, we continue to liaise closely with the travellers and we will continue to monitor the situation.”