Police hunt fly-tippers who dumped gas bottles on rural lane

Police are hunting fly-tippers who dumped a pile of gas bottles, fridge freezers, sofas and wood near a well-known beauty spot.

The heap of red Calor gas canisters and other detritus was found strewn across a country lane near Stapleford Woods, in Stapleford, on the Lincolnshire/Nottinghamshire border.

©NottsRuralCops

Rural police in Nottinghamshire posted a tweet on Thursday (18 May) on the @NottsRuralCops Twitter page appealing to the public for information to catch those responsible.

See also: The story behind the fly-tipping epidemic on farms

©NottsRuralCops

The officers said the landowner would have to pick up the bill to remove the rubbish.

Stop The Blot is a Farmers Weekly campaign designed to raise awareness of the damage caused by fly-tipping

In a second tweet posted on Monday (22 May), using the Farmers Weekly fly-tipping campaign hashtag #StopTheBlot, the officers urged people to report waste crime.

“Don’t let the landowners pay the price.

“If you #SeeItReportIt #Flytipping #EnvironmentalCrime #RuralCrime #StopTheBlot,” said the tweet.

Police posted additional pictures of metal farmgates having been smashed open by rural criminals and piles of rubbish, including tree clippings and building waste left dumped in field entrances.

©NottsRuralCops

According to the Woodland Trust, fly-tipping and littering in woods is at its highest ever levels.

Last year, the charity spent more than £35,000 clearing fly-tipped waste, bringing the bill for dealing with litter in woods to £162,000.

Are you a farmer who has been recently targeted by fly-tippers? Email pictures and details to philip.case@rbi.co.uk