A councillor has shared her anger after a well-used side road on Portland was left filled with junk. 

Councillor Sandy West said she was 'horrified' after discovering the side road off Ventnor Road in Underhill had been filled with unwanted items including a large suitcase.

It comes after it was revealed that the number of cases of fly tipping recorded in Dorset increased by 19 per cent in the year 2016 to 2017, with a total of 2,630 incidents reported.

Last month Dorset Police vowed to reduce the ‘blight’ of fly tipping as it is becoming more and more of a problem for people in Dorset. 

Cllr West said she was alerted to the issue on Facebook and visited the side road to investigate. 

She said: “The mess was horrendous, there was a huge suitcase, a carpet and smashed up electrical equipment. 

“It is an epidemic. I can’t understand what is wrong with people. It was never like this before. People used to take their waste to the tip.

“It seems in the last few years that there has been an explosion of fly tipping.”

Cllr West said a member of the public could have been injured as a result of the fly tipping. 

“Mums use the side road to take their children to school and people with mobility scooters go down it." 

“What if someone went down there in the dark and injured themselves? I just don’t know what the answer is. We are drowning in rubbish.

Cllr West contacted Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP) about the incident and said they were quick to respond.

She added: “I called DWP and explained to the situation to them, and that it is a well-known side road. They were extremely helpful.”

Karyn Punchard, Director of the Dorset Waste Partnership, said: “The Dorset Waste Partnership will continue to thoroughly investigate all reported fly-tipping incidents and we will attempt to trace and prosecute anyone found to be fly-tipping on public land. We encourage residents to report suspected incidents to the DWP at www.dorsetforyou.com/flytipping

“Fly-tipping is a criminal offence, punishable of fines of up to £50,000 or 12 months imprisonment if convicted in a Magistrate’s Court. 

“It can attract an unlimited fine and up to 5 years imprisonment if convicted in a Crown Court.

“Together, we can help stamp out this dangerous and anti-social activity that blights our beautiful county.”