Fly-tipped waste was ‘completely blocking’ a road into a village near Witney, as police warned that some of the dumped items would be checked by forensic scientists.
Sgt Robert Maris of Thames Valley Police’s rural crime taskforce was said to have come across the waste in the early hours of Friday morning (July 28).
It was ‘completely blocking’ the Stanton Harcourt road to South Leigh, near Witney.
Pictures shared on social media by the rural crime officers showed that among the dumped rubbish was a broken basketball hoop backboard, cardboard, what appeared to be carpet and a crushed aluminium can.
“If you recognise any of the items, be aware we have recovered some for forensic analysis,” officers said.
Anyone with information about the fly-tipped rubbish was asked to call 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Those caught dumping waste illegally face hefty fines if they are prosecuted through the courts.
Householders who pass their waste to an unlicensed waste carrier who fly-tips their rubbish can be fined up to £600.
Earlier this year, figures showed that West Oxfordshire was among the council areas that faced a record level of fly-tipping in 2022.
There were 1,524 ‘fly-tipping incidents’ in the year to March 2022, up from 1,188 the year before. It was the highest figure since records began in 2012/13.
The majority of fly-tipped waste, 43 per cent, was found on highways. The council spent £35,500 removing dumped rubbish, the government figures showed.
The same official figures showed a mixed picture for other councils in Oxfordshire.
In the Vale of White Horse, incidents were down from 572 in the year to March 2021 to 441 incidents in the 12 months to March 2022. The council spent £1,350 on its clean-up operation.
Officials in South Oxfordshire spent £2,600, with the 805 incidents in 2022 down from 969 the year before.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire fly-tipper fined thousands of pounds
Oxford saw a record number of fly-tipping incidents in the year to March 2022, with 3,197 reports. That was up from 2,708 the year before and the highest figure since records began in 2012/13.
In the city, eight fixed penalty notices were issued in 2022, down from 23 in 2020/21. One fine, for £660, was issued by the magistrates after the council took a waste offender to court.
Cherwell District Council, which covers Banbury and Bicester, recorded 1,001 fly-tipping incidents in the year to March 2022. It was an increase from 652 in the previous year.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Keep Britain Tidy chief executive, said in February: “We need immediate and tough enforcement that targets the rogue traders who are making a fortune by breaking the law, raking in the cash and wrecking our environment.”
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