A tiny town in Cumbria has been left in a shocking state with abandoned caravans and litter-strewn fields at the end of Appleby Horse Fair. About 10,000 members of the Gypsy and traveller community, along with 30,000 visitors were expected to descend on Appleby-in-Westmorland, vastly outnumbering the town’s 3,200 residents.

Footage emerged over the weekend of a van going up in flames, police out in force and horse-drawn carriages hurtling down the town’s usually quiet streets. Pictures of the aftermath of the fair show the charred vehicle and fields covered in rubbish.

Other images show caravans, empty crates, cardboard boxes, what looks like bedding and once idyllic fields churned up by tyres and turned into muddy tracks.

Video of the fire on Saturday (June 7) was shared on social media. It showed a massive crowd gathered round as the Ford Transit van and nearby tents were ravaged by flames as plumes of smoke billowed across the fair.

Police and fire crews were called to the blaze just after 11.40am, with officers extinguishing the fire. Cumbria Police said on Sunday the cause of the fire was not being treated as suspicious and nobody was injured.

Cumbria Police officers and Furness Council Trading Standards were also spotted investigating stalls at the fair, which ran from June 6-12.

On Sunday, members of the public were warned to beware as “fast-moving” horses and carriages sped down country lanes. Organisers of the fair described Appleby as a unique event, with fast-moving and tethered horses around the town.

They issued a warning ahead of the fair, urging visitors to make sure they took steps to stay safe.

About 10,000 members of the Gypsy and traveller community were expected to attend the fair (Image: Getty)