A cricket match was cancelled just hours before the first ball was due to be bowled when travellers set up camp on the pitch.

More than 100 caravans appeared on the council-owned recreation ground in Hill Barn Lane, Worthing.

It forced the cancellation of Worthing Chippindale's first XI match against Shoreham in the West Sussex League Division One on Saturday.

The Worthing club's officials reacted with frustration, saying they paid £1,300 a year to Worthing Borough Council to play on the pitches.

A spokesman said:

"I suppose the travellers would say they have got to go somewhere but we are the ones that pay council tax.

"It's frustrating and annoying that cricket should not be able to be played because travellers are in the way.

"They will probably get their eviction notices and then move to somewhere else but it doesn't help us. Teams of young cricketers have had their game cancelled."

The club's fixtures secretary was liaising with the council to see if any action would be taken before the club's next game on Sunday.

Some caravans moved off the recreation ground yesterday afternoon.

Traveller Tom Coyna, 38, said: "We haven't been asked to move but we're going.

"Half are going today and half tomorrow.

"We're leaving Sussex and going up to Birmingham. The authorities here have been good to us so we want to do a good turn for them."

When asked about the cancelled match, Mr Coyna said: "We don't like cricket but to be honest we never knew about the match.

"Anyway, we left the cricket pitch free so they could have played if they wanted to."

Another traveller said: "Worthing council has been very good. It has given us a skip, which will keep any rubbish left to a minimum, and it has turned on the toilets for us.

"It understands we need somewhere to stay."