TRAVELLERS who descended on Birmingham in a bid to see the Pope have left their controversial makeshift camp.

Families were given seven days to move on after they pulled their caravans onto playing fields off Cole Bank Road in Hall Green on Thursday.

But they beat the deadline by leaving over the weekend.

The development came as Birmingham Council deputy leader Coun Paul Tilsley denied the authority was performing a U-turn on its policy on travellers heading to the city for the Papal visit.

Council sources said he had simply “changed his mind” over earmarking sites capable of accommodating more convoys but Coun Tilsley said there were “no plans” for temporary camps and the idea was “never a serious runner”.