Man arrested after dumped waste set on fire

Residents said the waste was dumped and then set on fire over the weekend

A man has been arrested after a large amount of waste was dumped and then set on fire in a village.

Residents said lorries tipped the waste on Friday and it was set on fire on Sunday in Sherington, Buckinghamshire.

Milton Keynes City Council said it was investigating with Thames Valley Police and the Environment Agency and they were "aware of a significant quantity of waste that has been dumped and set on fire on private land".

Police said a 40-year-old man from Sherington had been arrested "on suspicion of depositing controlled waste on land where there was no environment permit".

The force added that he had also been arrested on suspicion of "keeping, treating or disposing of controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution to the environment or harm to human health".

He has been released on bail while investigations, led by the Environment Agency, continue.

The agency said "the site has been confirmed as an illegal waste site".

Residents said the parcel of land, off the High Street by the junction with Gun Lane, was bought at auction in December 2024.

Labour MP for Milton Keynes North, Chris Curtis, said: "This is a despicable act of vandalism and residents have rightfully been contacting me to complain."

The Environment Agency said the area of land was confirmed as "an illegal waste site"

Sherington Parish Council said there was now a major multi-agency investigation into the activities on the site.

It said it "had been advised that there was nothing more it could contribute to the investigations other than continued vigilance and the noting of lorry movements and activities on site if appropriate".

"The matter of the siting of caravans and the occupation of the site remains an ongoing planning issue and the subject of a Milton Keynes City Council enforcement process," a spokesperson added.

"We would like to thank all the villagers who have contributed for their valuable help in bringing this matter to the attention of the appropriate authorities."

A digger was photographed creating a large hole which was filled with waste