A group of travellers have left land next to Mepal Outdoor Centre after a court order was issued.

Ely Standard: Travellers leave land next to abandoned Mepal Outdoor Centre after court action is taken. Picture: CONTRIBUTED.Travellers leave land next to abandoned Mepal Outdoor Centre after court action is taken. Picture: CONTRIBUTED. (Image: Archant)

Caravans set up camp on the car park of the former leisure complex last weekend.

A spokesperson from East Cambridgeshire District Council said that they “vacated the land” in recent days.

Angela Parmenter, housing and community safety manager at ECDC, said: ““We have worked with the court to arrange and issue a possession order which states that the travellers must vacate the land.

“We have negotiated with the encampment to leave the site without the use of bailiffs.”

Ely Standard: Travellers leave land next to abandoned Mepal Outdoor Centre after court action is taken. Picture: CONTRIBUTED.Travellers leave land next to abandoned Mepal Outdoor Centre after court action is taken. Picture: CONTRIBUTED. (Image: Archant)

The 30-acre outdoor centre, off the A142 near Ely, closed down after it was targeted by vandals during Christmas week in December 2016, who had stolen change from a vending machine before setting it on fire.

After the arson attack, trustees of the Mepal Outdoor Centre - who had been running the charitable enterprise for four years - handed the lease back to landlords East Cambridgeshire District Council and the centre was closed down in February 2017.

But last year the council said a new operator had been selected to run it. It was expected to open later in 2019.

Footage emerged of a rave which took place at the abandoned centre on Christmas Day last year.

Ely Standard: Travellers leave land next to abandoned Mepal Outdoor Centre after court action is taken. Picture: CONTRIBUTED.Travellers leave land next to abandoned Mepal Outdoor Centre after court action is taken. Picture: CONTRIBUTED. (Image: Archant)

Two hundred people, all sporting festive outfits and Santa hats, gained entry to the site at around 11pm on December 25 for the event.

The rave went on into Boxing Day when police officers arrived and breathalysed people leaving the centre to make sure they were safe to drive.