Frustration at growing fly-tipping problem

Contractors are currently working to remove the rubbish at Forthampton

A huge pile of rubbish dumped on a country lane has been cleared, with local residents saying fly-tipping in the area is getting worse.

The waste, believed to have been fly-tipped in the early hours of 2 October, blocked a road leading into Forthampton, Gloucestershire off the A438.

One man who lives nearby said illegal dumping is regularly forcing drivers to take long detours.

The road reopened on Tuesday after contractors for Tewkesbury Borough Council cleared the pile. The council said it currently has "no evidence" of who is responsible.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said while the pile dumped on Ledbury Road was unusual for its size, rubbish was regularly tipped on grass verges and in gateways in the area.

Sometimes locals need to take diversion of "up to three miles" due to fly-tipping.

He said there were often delays to it being cleared because of confusion over the boundary lines between Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, and who is responsible for cleaning up.

The resident added he was "a bit disgusted" that it had taken so long for the rubbish to be cleared.

Fly-tipping is blighting the area, residents say

The resident added he fears unexpected road closures put residents of Forthampton at greater risk because it delays emergency vehicles reaching them.

"I'm aware that the emergency service have been notified of updates that the roads are being closed, but every minute counts."

He also said polluted rainwater running off the pile of rubbish was flowing straight into nearby Paradise Brook.

Jo Greenwood, from Greenwood's Therapeutic Horticulture, said it was frustrating that nobody ever seemed to see the perpetrators.

'Serious and illegal'

"There's been a lot of fly-tipping recently in the area," she said.

"I just can't see how nobody has seen anything - they've got to be coming in big trucks."

Ms Greenwood added: "The worst thing is people from the local community are taking their rubbish and dumping it on top of it, which is a bit naughty."

Peter Tonge, director for communities at Tewkesbury Borough Council, urged anyone with information about who dumped the waste to get in touch.

"This is a serious and illegal incident of dumping waste, and unfortunately, we currently have no evidence of who is responsible," he said.