LESSONS will be learned following a spate of dog attacks at a traveller site near a Witney school, a councillor has said.

Three children and several adults, including council officers and a PCSO, were attacked by dogs while walking through King George’s Playing Field in Newland.

A 13-year-old boy and eight-year-old girl were among those to have been bitten near the camp next to Wood Green School and along a route home for many youngsters.

The travellers remained in place for a week until the site was abandoned on Monday.

A much smaller group of travellers has been residing on land off Deer Park Road.

Duncan Enright, town and district councillor for Witney, lives in Newland, where travellers spent the majority of last week in around seven caravans.

He said councillors will touch upon the issue at Witney Town Council’s annual general meeting this evening in the Town Hall.

Mr Enright said: “I think there are lessons to be learned from what happened.

“The thing about this situation is it takes a lot of work between different organisations and I think that’s something we could improve.”

Travellers set up camp on the site on Monday, taking advantage of the removal of a gate for repairs.

A 13-year-old boy was bitten by a small dog while on his way to Wood Green School at around 8am on Tuesday.

The school responded by sending out an email warning parents of animals acting unpredictably.

Then, at 11am on the same day, a 23-year-old man was bitten by a small dog in the field.

It is understood a dog chased two eight-year-olds through the field, biting one, at around 8am on Wednesday.

A 16-year-old boy also had to attend the town’s minor injury unit after receiving a cut following a dog bite that occurred just after midday.

There were also reports of dogs biting, or trying to bite, a member of staff from West Oxfordshire District Council and a PCSO.

When a councillor and officer from Witney Town Council visited the site to present the travellers with a notice of immediate eviction, they were attacked by dogs.

The council officer was bitten.

Police officers urged a woman in the field to keep her dogs under control and increased the number of patrols conducted in the area.

Neighbourhood policing inspector Steve Hookham, based at Witney Police Station, said: “I would like to reassure the public that we are thoroughly investigating these incidents.

“I am aware that incidents of this nature are worrying to local residents and my officers will be conducting regular patrols in the area.”

A concerned parent at Wood Green School and the RSPCA both raised concerns about police efforts.

A spokesman for the animal charity’s Oxfordshire branch said: “This was always going to happen. It should not be a problem for charities or voluntary organisations to deal with.

“What are the police and local authorities doing about it - very little again no doubt.

Now Oxfordshire County Council is working alongside landowner West Oxfordshire District Council to evict travellers from the site in Deer Park Road.