RUMOURS of a new Travellers site on the grounds of the former laboratory at the Vale of Leven Hospital have been kicked into touch.

Locals had last week expressed concerns that the patch of land near the Vale Hospital was being used illegally to accommodate a group from the travelling community.

The land comes under the responsibility of Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS.

And while they did concede there was an "issue" with someone using the site, they denied that Travellers had pitched up and made camp.

A spokesperson for Great Glasgow and Clyde NHS confirmed on Thursday: "There is no travellers’ site at the hospital.

"Following positive discussions with an individual we expect this issue to be resolved by the weekend."

The issue has, however, sparked a fresh debate over the availability of dedicated travellers' sites at local authorities up and down the country.

In West Dunbartonshire, the local authority has allocated land at the Dennystown Forge site for the travelling community to use.

However, current capacity is full and West Dunbartonshire Councillor Jim Bollan believes the unused land at the hospital could be used as an overspill.

He said: "This is public unused land and with the Dennystown Forge site full to capacity, with a waiting list, I would support the Travelling Community being allowed to set down on this site until they are ready to move on.

"Nomadism is a right and Local Authorities have a responsibility to respect and respond positively to this right, to do otherwise could be viewed as a form of racism."