New Forest beauty spot fly-tippers slammed for 'lack of respect'

OFFENDERS responsible for fly-tipping waste at a New Forest beauty spot have been slammed for showing a lack of respect to the area.

Fuel cans containing an oily substance and furniture were among the items found at the Andrews Mare car park, just south of the A31 Stoney Cross junction, and reported to Forestry England (formerly known as the Forestry Commission).

In response to an alert to its national call centre on Saturday, an FE ranger attended that day and put up snow netting around the waste to help protect nearby grazing stock and wildlife.

The authority’s waste contractor then began clearing the site the next day with a flat-bed van and the pile was so big it required a number of repeated visits into Monday.

This incident took place just days after the car park had been reopened for public use following repairs to its surface.

Collecting and disposing of the waste through recycling cost FE around £200, a spokesperson told the A&T.

They added: “This recent incident is another example of the lack of respect some people have for the New Forest, its residents and wildlife.

"Working together, Forestry England and the local authority investigate fly-tips in an effort to trace it back to the offenders.”

People are now being urged by both FE and New Forest District Council to come forward if they can help identify those responsible for the dumping.

“We are urging anyone who recognises where this waste has come from to get in touch,” the FE spokesperson added.

“It required a large lorry to dump this amount of rubbish, so if anyone saw a lorry driving in this area, please call Forestry England’s local office on 0300 067 4601. All information provided will be treated in confidence."

An NFDC spokesperson warned the authority was empowered to take action against the person who dumped the waste, as well as the householder or business it came from.

Anyone with any information about this fly-tipping incident or any others in the Forest should contact FE’s main office on 0300 067 4600 or call NFDC on 023 8028 5000.

Householders and businesses are reminded they must check the company or individual offering to take their waste has a waste carriers licence by looking at the Environment Agency's register at www.gov.uk.