Residents say Belvedere Road, off Cowley Road, in East Oxford, has turned into a "real eyesore" as problems with flytippers reach crisis point.

One side of the pavement is totally blocked by the rubbish, which was left there a few days ago and has yet to be cleared. Neighbours say they are growing increasingly concerned by the scale of the problem, especially as children often play in the street.

Resident Sajjad Khan, a father of four, said: "The footpath is completely blocked by the rubbish and there seems to be all sorts of things just dumped there from scrap metal to broken pipes and TVs.

"We are very concerned about it. As the road has little traffic on it, my children usually play in the street but it's getting dangerous. There are all kinds of sharp objects as well as black bin bags just piling up.

"It's horrible and is turning the street into an eyesore. It's a mess.

"There are young families and pensioners living here. We always try to keep the area clean and tidy but when people see mess like this it really doesn't look good and leaves a bad impression."

Mr Khan, a 32-year-old taxi driver, said the road had suffered flytipping problems in the past, but never before on this scale.

City councillor Sajjad Malik said: "Flytipping has become a regular problem in this area.

"The council needs to crack down on this and come out harder and stronger on the culprits. It really makes the area look run down.

"We have five million tourists pass through the city each year and we don't want them seeing sights like this. It makes the area look bad and it's just not fair on the residents."

Mr Malik, a Labour councillor for Cowley Marsh, added: "There's a great sense of community in East Oxford among residents who have lived here for generations. They do their best to keep the area clean and tidy. This makes all their efforts and hard work go to waste."

City council spokesman Louisa Dean said: "Residents can contact the City Works department if they need large bulky items removed from their house. We will collect three items free of charge. Alternatively, there's the recycling centre at Redbridge."