A DORSET man has labelled litter left by railway employees as ‘disgusting’.

Bill Brushett, 70, from Chantmarle, and others have been left picking up the pieces while work takes place on the railway line between Maiden Newton and Dorchester West.

The engineering works carried out by Network Rail have already been criticised for starting nearly a month ahead of schedule, without prior warning.

Homeowners in Bull Lane, Station Road and Stanstead Road at Maiden Newton have said the work has also kept them up at night. Some residents who complained were sent industrial ear plugs.

The work, which started on June 2, has involved removing the old track by crane and excavating the track bed.

The ballasts, sleepers, rail and other components will eventually be replaced using road-rail machines.

Rubbish was first noticed a week after the works began. Mr Brushett investigated with his wife and neighbour.

He said: “We filled two dustbin bags full of rubbish. We did speak to someone on the site. He agreed it wasn’t very good.”

A dustbin appeared but wasn’t used, with Mr Brushett picking up another shopping bag full of rubbish a week later.

As workers moved along the track near to Chantmarle Lane, so did the rubbish, Mr Brushett claims. He said he saw rubbish past a Network Rail sign where workers require the permission of their supervisors to be.

He said: “It was full of coffee cups and God knows what – certainly not what you expect to see in a sensitive area. It is disgusting.”

After getting in touch with Network Rail, Mr Brushett was told a litter pick up session would be organised.

By this point, however, he had removed the rubbish. He remains concerned as the work continues more will be left.

He said: “All we want is to stop their employees leaving litter everywhere.”

A Network Rail spokesman said: “With thousands of miles of railway track to manage across the country, we welcome any information from members of the public which helps us keep the railway in full working order and in a presentable condition.

“We have previously been notified of rubbish left in the area and have organised litter picks to resolve the issue.

“We are very concerned to hear that further littering has taken place and will investigate this as soon as possible.

“If members of the public want to help bring anything to our attention, they can contact the Network Rail national helpline o