Farmer says Government isn’t doing enough to stop fly-tippers

Yet another stinking heap of rubbish has been dumped on Britain’s countryside, as one farmer calls for government action to stop the relentless blighting of England’s green and pleasant land.

Wheat farmer Andrew Ward was heartbroken to find at least three lorryloads of industrial waste abandoned on a road he uses to get to his fields in Leadenham, Lincolnshire.

And devastated to find a heap of rubbish including a dragon, child’s bike and the roof of a garden shed blocking access to a neighbour’s field less than half a mile away.

Fly-tipping in England surged by a staggering 300 per cent during lockdown, research by the universities of Southampton and Portsmouth showed, as tips kept their gates bolted for almost three months. 

Horrifying heaps of waste including car tyres, clothes, suitcases and doors were pictured scourging the countryside in Newport, Wales, in April this year.

While photos from Britain’s streets, fields and parks sent in by MailOnline readers revealed a ‘wave of waste’ decimating our green spaces.

Wheat farmer Andrew Ward was heartbroken to find this massive three lorryload pile of waste dumped on a country lane at his farm in Leadenham, Lincolnshire

He called on the government to take action and accused them of not caring as this doesn't happen in London. He also called on MP Dr Caroline Johnson to get involved

He called on the government to take action and accused them of not caring as this doesn’t happen in London. He also called on MP Dr Caroline Johnson to get involved

Less than half-a-mile away a truckload of waste had been dumped next to a neighbour's field

Less than half-a-mile away a truckload of waste had been dumped next to a neighbour’s field

The rubbish, abandoned near the A17, appeared to include bits of a former garden shed

The rubbish, abandoned near the A17, appeared to include bits of a former garden shed

Cardboard, rubble and bits of plastic all made up the enormous heap dumped in Lincolnshire.

Filming the devastation, Mr Ward said: ‘The government don’t see this type of thing, this doesn’t appear in London.

‘They don’t understand and I don’t know whether they care about what’s going on in the countryside. We don’t need words anymore, we need action.’

He continued: ‘This is not your local one man and a van turns up to a house. This is three lorryloads of commercial, industrial waste. 

‘If I ever find out where that came from it will be straight back on their doorstep. It’s beyond comprehension – it’s deplorable people think this is acceptable. There’s butterflies, birds and bees around here, and people walk their dogs too.’

Mr Ward owns more than 700 hectares of land, and was made an MBE in 2014 for services to farming resilience. He appealed to their local MP Dr Caroline Johnson to take up the issue with the government.

The local council has been to survey the three truckload tip, he said, and are making plans to remove it. 

Fly-tipping in Britain has surged by almost 300 per cent since lockdown, according to a study. Pictured above is waste abandoned in Leeds, West Yorkshire

Fly-tipping in Britain has surged by almost 300 per cent since lockdown, according to a study. Pictured above is waste abandoned in Leeds, West Yorkshire

Fly-tipping in Collyhurst, Manchester

Dumping in Sherbourne, Dorset

Above is fly-tipping in Collyhurst, Manchester (left) and Sherbourne, Dorset (right)

Councillors siad people are dumping waste, like this in Leeds, when they find tips are closed

Councillors siad people are dumping waste, like this in Leeds, when they find tips are closed

A university analysis of fly-tipping this year said that there were few facilities available to take on extra waste, with tips shuttered and charity shops unable to take in clothes.

A website where people report fly-tipping, Clearwaste, said it had seen a 75 per cent surge in reports of dumping beside roads and in green areas during lockdown.

Its manager Martin Montague told the BBC that he had heard, in some cases, of people buying second hand fridges during the pandemic shopping rush, filling them with waste, and dumping them.

West Oxfordshire District council revealed that fly-tipping incidents surged ‘three-fold’ during lockdown as it urged residents to stop dumping waste in communal areas.

Cllr Norman MacRae, cabinet member for the environment, said in April: ‘While we have some sympathy with residents who may have quantities of waste building up, we must emphasise that for everyone’s safety please refrain from dumping it in public spaces.

‘This places an unnecessary additional workload on our cleaning teams and is not acceptable at any time let alone the current coronavirus situation.’

A rubbish graveyard has grown so large next to the M4 that it can be seen on Google Earth

A rubbish graveyard has grown so large next to the M4 that it can be seen on Google Earth

Doors, tyres, sofas, clothes and old suitcases are all abandoned at the well-known spot

Doors, tyres, sofas, clothes and old suitcases are all abandoned at the well-known spot

Above are piles of old tyres, a bath, sofa and other rubbish left at the site in Newport

Above are piles of old tyres, a bath, sofa and other rubbish left at the site in Newport

In April sofas, bathtubs, fridges, car tyres, doors and other items were spotted piled in a heap next to the M4 that was so large it could be seen from Google Earth.

Resident Chris Taylor said dumping there had been an issue for many years, with locals branding it a ‘haven for rats’ in 2017.

‘It’s been like this for some time,’ he said. ‘The frustrating thing about it is the scenery around it is amazing. The cycle path is lovely but then you turn into this.

‘It’s a concern as it is so close to the houses. At the end of the road there is an abandoned boat wreck.’

Newport councillor Allan Morris blamed rogue waste collectors for the debris, and called on members of the public to ask waste removal men for photos of their rubbishes final location.

Pictures from across the UK during lockdown show bins full to burst, van-loads of rubbish abandoned in parks, and the footpaths outside charity shops overflowing with donations.

Selfish individuals took advantage of emptier streets to dispose of unwanted items.

Officials said many were taking rubbish to recycling centres but, upon finding it closed, were simply dumping it outside on the way home. 

Fly-tipping in England surged by eight per cent last year with more than one million incidents, but the figure for 2020 is expected to be even higher.

Nearly two-thirds of fly-tips involved household waste, said DEFRA.

Responding to this year’s fly-tipping in the UK, a spokesman said: ‘Fly-tipping blights communities, spoils our countryside, and poses a risk to human health and the environment.

‘We all have a role to play in keeping our environment clean and now more than ever people must work together to support their communities during this challenging time.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk