City council sets aside sites for gypsies arriving to see Pope in Birmingham

The city council is earmarking sites across Birmingham to accommodate future convoys of gypsies which may travel to the city hoping to see the Pope.

The local authority held an emergency meeting after a group of travellers descended on Sarehole Mill, in Hall Green, claiming they had travelled from Co Donegal in Ireland to see His Holiness say mass at Cofton Park.

Fearing that more travellers are heading to Birmingham for the Pope’s visit, the council said it was looking at finding suitable areas for them to stay, on a temporary basis.

And a special code of conduct is being drawn up to advise the gypsies how to treat the areas selected.

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