'˜Lorry load' of rubbish fly-tipped on country lane

The waste was left strewn across Morton Lane in Apperknowle with garden chairs, mattresses, wood, garden and building waste all blocking the road.

Police were made aware of the fly-tipping at around 7am on Tuesday, December 20.

A North East Derbyshire District Council spokesman said an investigation had been launched to find out who was responsible for the rubbish.

The spokesman said: “It its an absolute disgrace - people should not be doing this.

“We have recycling centres where people can dispose of waste responsibly.

“If you are having waste collected please check that the people who are doing it for you have the right credentials.

“We will be looking closely at the waste to see if there any paperwork that could prove where it came from.

“If we find evidence linking a particular property to it then we can prosecute the household even if we don’t know who dumped it.”

The spokesman added that those responsible can face a fine of up to £50,000 and/or 12 months imprisonment if found guilty.

Police officers supervised the clearing of the road but fly-tipping is not a criminal offence, so any prosecution will be carried out by the local authority.

News of the incident was quickly shared across social media and came to the attention of civic campaigners in nearby Dronfield.

David Hallam, from the Dronfield Civic Society, said: “It is absolutely disgusting - what a mess.

“But because of restrictions at recycling depots, there are lots of incentives just to dump your rubbish in the hedge bottom.

“Even when names and addresses have been found amongst the rubbish, it is easier to clear up the mess rather than investigating further.

“In the meantime, we will have to continue to clear the rubbish and report incidents to the authorities.”

n To report fly-tipping in north east Derbyshire, visit www.ne-derbyshire.gov.uk.