FLY-TIPPERS are being warned they face prosecution as concern grows over the countryside being ruined by rubbish dumped in laybys and on roadsides.

In the latest incident near Bedale, a vanload of household rubbish including a double bed and mattress, a chair, boxes, a lamp and carpet off-cuts was dumped in a lay-by a mile out of town in Masham Road.

Resident Brian Lancaster said: “It’s absolutely disgraceful, they’re ruining the countryside. And it seems obvious they’re just trying to avoid paying to have the stuff properly disposed of at one of the tips.

“There’s a tip just two and a half miles away at Leeming Bar, but instead they have just pulled into the lay-by and ditched the lot.”

“It looks like someone has been clearing a house, it could be a contractor, and instead of possibly paying to dispose of the stuff they have tipped the lot here. It’s not just how horrible it looks, there are farm fields all along here with animals, rubbish could easily blow into them.

“There is absolutely no excuse, you just wish you could see them dumping the stuff, we really need everyone to stop these people,” he added.

Hambleton District Council says it costs £30,000 a year to clear fly tipping, with over 200 incidents annually. One man was fined and ordered to pay costs of over £900 by Northallerton magistrates after admitting fly tipping near Easingwold, earlier this year.

“Here in Hambleton we take fly tipping seriously, and the courts are backing us up,” said Cllr Brian Phillips. “These individuals believe they can pollute our district with their waste and just get away with it,” he said.

He warned householders to check anyone being paid to take waste away has a valid waste carriers licence and provides a receipt with the vehicle and driver’s details.

If the items are fly tipped they can be traced back.

“There are many ways of disposing of waste lawfully, including using the council’s collection service. “We urge everyone to comply with the law and dispose of items carefully. Hambleton is a beautiful area and should not be ruined by selfish, and often profiteering individuals,” he added.

Hambleton say they are now using covert CCTV cameras in certain areas.

Leader of Hambleton Council, Cllr Mark Robson, added: “People should be warned we will take the hard line on this. It really is appalling and we will do everything we can to clamp down.”

Report fly tipping on 016090-779977 or go to hambleton.gov.uk/street-cleansing/809-refuse-flytipping