Fly-tipping: Three-mile ditch dug in Ebbw Vale to curb issue

The project has closed off one of the entry routes for off-road vehicles driving over the land

A three-mile ditch has been dug at a fly-tipping hotspot in a bid to curb the problem.

The ditch at Manmoel common near Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, was dug by the council to prevent vehicles from driving off the road and dumping large amounts of rubbish.

The council said the ditch was another way to fight fly-tipping at the site.

Councillor Helen Cunningham said mobile cameras and covert surveillance would also be used to catch offenders.

"There is no excuse for fly-tipping. It is a blight on our beautiful landscape and completely anti-social," she said.

"Residents tell us of their frustration about the minority of people who fly-tip because of the blight it creates on our landscape."

The excavated soil has been used to build an extra barrier

The project on Manmoel Road was funded by Caru Cymru and Keep Wales Tidy. The excavated soil was used to create an extra barrier to prevent waste from being dumped.

The councillor also urged anyone paying for rubbish removal to make sure the company they were using was properly licensed and disposing of it correctly.