Concerns raised over litter filled brook

Environment Agency officers, who assessed the site, said the debris does not pose a flood or pollution risk

Concerns have been raised over a pile of rubbish in a brook, which some villagers say poses a risk to humans and animals.

Aerosol canisters and plastic bottles have accumulated in Horsbere Brook about 200 yards downstream from the A38 in Longford, near Gloucester.

Jim Watkins, a local farmer, said the waste was "dangerous" and he had recently needed to call the fire brigade to rescue a lamb that had got caught up in the waste.

Environment Agency officers, who assessed the site, said the debris does not pose a flood or pollution risk.

"The responsibility to clear the debris therefore rests with the landowner, where this stretch of the watercourse runs on their land," it said.

Meanwhile, Mr Watkins said: "It is a dreadful mess. It needs to be removed as soon as possible."

George Sharpley, who lives nearby, said people need to be more careful when it comes to disposing of their waste.

"If we fill our water courses with all this refuse, we’ll end up drinking it," he said. "Think first, then dispose," he said.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, other residents said the waste needs removing urgently before it passes into the River Severn which is about half a mile away.

A spokesperson for Tewkesbury Borough Council said it is the responsibility of landowners to carry out the clearance of watercourses on their land, but in certain cases, the EA or the council may have to enforce it.

"If residents wish to contact the council with the precise location of the incident (ideally using What Three Words), we can investigate the matter," they said.