Councils' £4m fly-tipping costs

Some councils are using hidden cameras to catch offenders

Fly-tipping is costing councils in the eastern region more than £4m annually to clear up, according to figures released by local authorities.

Building materials and hazardous waste, which are both costly to dispose of properly, made up most of the 67,000 incidents recorded in the region.

In Great Yarmouth the cost totalled £195,000, while in Northampton more than £500,000 was spent.

Peterborough topped the league, having spent over £600,000 on clearing up.

In Peterborough workers are sifting through the rubbish to find evidence to track down the culprits.

Dumped cars

Mike Heath, from Peterborough City Council, said: "They've ripped the name off but we've got the invoice number so we can work out where it's come from.

"Fly tipping creates a blight on environments.

"It's a nuisance, it's dangerous and it's a hazard to health and there are plenty of opportunities across the city for people to dispose of their refuse properly."

Babergh District Council in Suffolk is using secret cameras to catch offenders in the act with some hidden in old drinks cans, where they record evidence that can be used to help bring prosecutions.

Henry Hurrell, a farmer from Newton near Cambridge, said he has been victim to fly-tipping left on his land many times, and he has had to foot the bill to clear his own land.

Now he has fitted gates to fields to block access.

He said: "Builders' waste is a real hot favourite.

"We've had cut-up cars dumped, wheels and tyres, gas cylinders."