FLY-TIPPING, including discarded furniture and household waste, is continuing to blight the countryside this summer as more incidents are reported to Wiltshire Council.

In the space of just 48 hours three incidents were reported online.

While some are blaming the problem on the closure of one of the authority's recycling sites, others are blaming householders who fail to check the licence credentials of 'man with a van' operations that offer to dispose of waste.

The reports come even after a Swindon man was fined nearly £2,000 in May because he gave rubbish to an unlicensed collector who later dumped it in a layby at Winterbourne Monckton between Swindon and Avebury.

He admitted failing to ensure his waste was lawfully.

Dan Mercer a farmer who rents land from the MOD discovered the most recent dump of rubbish. He said: “We’ve seen a lot more garden waste being dumped and TVs and fly-tipping in general going up since Eveleigh closed. It’s about a mile and a half away from here so people don’t want to drive to Marlborough or Devizes. There is more fly-tipping going on over the summer months. This last lot looks like a tipper truck has just gone along and dumped it there. I have reported it to Wiltshire Council but they say because it is a private land they don’t have to clean it up. The MOD have now cleared it but every time it happens it costs them money. It costs other farmers money too.

Other recent incidents have seen sofas and possibly asbestos dumped on private land, tracks and roadsides.

Hannah Mcburney took to social media to say: “This has all started happening after the Everleigh tip closed because people can’t be bothered to travel up to other recycling centres.”

Bridget Wayman, Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for waste, said: “My message to selfish, antisocial people who dump their rubbish for others to clear up is simple: we will catch you and fine you."

Earlier this year the authority pledged to prosecute more people who dump garbage illegally.

The promise came after councillors heard that the number of incidents reported had increased by 10 per cent since 2017 and that from 2,822 investigations last year only one person was prosecuted.

A total of 37 fixed penalty notices have been issued since April last year and 149 warning letters sent.