Shocking photos have shown rubbish carelessly dumped in a Greater Manchester beauty spot. Walkers came across piles of tyres, plastic boxes and various other items left beside the road in Saddleworth today (April 10).
The popular walking spot, on Hill Top Lane, North Saddleworth, near Oldham, was targeted by illegal fly-tippers some time over the weekend. Outraged locals took to a Facebook group to share their outrage.
Saddleworth Moor has been plagued with ignorant waste dumpers in the past, such as in July last year, when a man was fined after the contents of a basement of a Northern Quarter chippy was dumped there. And during the lockdown, Oldham Council ramped up efforts to combat the rising cases of illegal dumping on country lanes.
In the most recent case, unwanted items were strewn across grassed areas and on the road side on Hill Top Lane. Piles of tyres, plastic boxes, as well as unwanted wood and even teddy bears were abandoned over the weekend.
The scenic backdrop was also rubbished by various bin bags, which were also among the heaps of waste, along with wooden fence panels, plant pots, pipes and storage boxes. The Oldham Council website stipulates that once reported, an enforcement officer will investigate.
Once the investigation is completed, council officers will clear the fly-tipping as soon as possible. Those responsible can face fines of up to £50,000 or a prison sentence of up to five years.
One nearby resident shared the shocking pictures to a local Facebook group, saying that her 'beautiful' walk had been 'spoilt'. She added: "It really annoys me some people are so lazy and scruffy. Just go to the tip like we have to!"
Another wrote: "Absolute scumbags." Followed by: "That’s awful! I wish they’d make the tip more affordable for businesses, this would happen a lot less."
Previously, Councillor Barbara Brownridge said: “There’s no excuse for it. It’s a blight on the borough and clearing it up costs every council tax payer – at a time when money is tighter than ever.
“We know we can’t stop fly tipping, but we are doing as much as we can with the resources available. Our officers will investigate all incidents reported to us and if we find evidence linking it to anyone, we’ll take action."
An Oldham Council spokesperson said: “There’s no excuse for fly-tipping. It’s a blight on the borough and clearing it up costs every council tax payer. Our teams are doing their bit to keep the borough clean but a few selfish individuals continue to dump waste.
“Our officers investigate all incidents reported to us and if we find evidence linking it to anyone, we’ll take action. If you pay someone to take away your waste, check they have a waste carriers licence. If they don’t and the rubbish is later found dumped then you could be the one in trouble."
