This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp3j4y5nzkeo
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Lichfield road blocked by huge pile of illegally dumped waste | |
| (25 days later) | |
| The pile of waste is estimated to be 2m (6.5ft) tall and about 15m (50ft) in length | The pile of waste is estimated to be 2m (6.5ft) tall and about 15m (50ft) in length |
| An enormous mound of waste has been illegally dumped, blocking a rural road in Staffordshire. | An enormous mound of waste has been illegally dumped, blocking a rural road in Staffordshire. |
| Residents said the pile of rubbish was discovered at about 06:00 GMT on Watery Lane in Lichfield, having been flytipped there overnight. | Residents said the pile of rubbish was discovered at about 06:00 GMT on Watery Lane in Lichfield, having been flytipped there overnight. |
| The waste is estimated to measure about 2m (6.5ft) tall and about 15m (50ft) in length. | The waste is estimated to measure about 2m (6.5ft) tall and about 15m (50ft) in length. |
| Lichfield District Council said it hoped to reopen the road as soon as possible and would hold those responsible to account. | Lichfield District Council said it hoped to reopen the road as soon as possible and would hold those responsible to account. |
| The mound of waste was dumped in just one night, in Watery Lane, Lichfield | The mound of waste was dumped in just one night, in Watery Lane, Lichfield |
| Caroline Farnell, owner of The Pottery Cave in Curborough, said she had been unable to run her pottery classes due to the flytipping. | Caroline Farnell, owner of The Pottery Cave in Curborough, said she had been unable to run her pottery classes due to the flytipping. |
| She said it had effectively closed off the road to businesses in the area because the other end was also blocked for building work on a housing development. | She said it had effectively closed off the road to businesses in the area because the other end was also blocked for building work on a housing development. |
| There were occasional problems nearby with flytipping she said, but only on a small scale. | There were occasional problems nearby with flytipping she said, but only on a small scale. |
| "We've never seen anything on this scale, ever – it's quite shocking." | "We've never seen anything on this scale, ever – it's quite shocking." |
| Fellow business owner Jeremy Roney said it appeared to be household waste and raised concerns that there might be sharps among it. | Fellow business owner Jeremy Roney said it appeared to be household waste and raised concerns that there might be sharps among it. |
| "It takes up the whole road, it's just horrific, I don't know how people can do it," he said. | "It takes up the whole road, it's just horrific, I don't know how people can do it," he said. |
| He added his sales would definitely be affected because he had been forced to close, alongside approximately a dozen other businesses. | He added his sales would definitely be affected because he had been forced to close, alongside approximately a dozen other businesses. |
| Caroline Farnell says locals have never seen anything on this scale before | Caroline Farnell says locals have never seen anything on this scale before |
| Business owner Jeremy Roney says the road being blocked would affect sales | Business owner Jeremy Roney says the road being blocked would affect sales |
| Councillor Phil Whitehouse, the council's cabinet member in charge of waste, said he was "completely shocked". | Councillor Phil Whitehouse, the council's cabinet member in charge of waste, said he was "completely shocked". |
| "The scale of it is absolutely unbelievable. I'm flabbergasted, to be honest with you. I'm almost lost for words." | "The scale of it is absolutely unbelievable. I'm flabbergasted, to be honest with you. I'm almost lost for words." |
| He said those responsible needed to be held to account and it appeared to have been a calculated operation. | He said those responsible needed to be held to account and it appeared to have been a calculated operation. |
| "Clearly there are people out there [who are] very imaginative in how they get rid of their rubbish and we're going to do all we possibly can to clamp down on that." | "Clearly there are people out there [who are] very imaginative in how they get rid of their rubbish and we're going to do all we possibly can to clamp down on that." |
| The council will investigate and has sent vehicles and staff to deal with the issue he said, but warned it would take "probably many, many hours – if not days - of work," to clear. | The council will investigate and has sent vehicles and staff to deal with the issue he said, but warned it would take "probably many, many hours – if not days - of work," to clear. |
| "Everyone will pull together to try to get the road open as quickly as possible." | "Everyone will pull together to try to get the road open as quickly as possible." |
| Councillor Phil Whitehouse said he was shocked to discover how much waste had been dumped | Councillor Phil Whitehouse said he was shocked to discover how much waste had been dumped |
| Staffordshire Police said officers were called to Watery Lane at 06:15 following reports that a significant amount of waste had been left in the road. | Staffordshire Police said officers were called to Watery Lane at 06:15 following reports that a significant amount of waste had been left in the road. |
| The force added it had closed the entire road, as well as access through Eastern Avenue and Wood End Lane. | The force added it had closed the entire road, as well as access through Eastern Avenue and Wood End Lane. |
| Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. | |