Fly-tipping just yards from a Walsall church is threatening to put people off staging weddings and funerals at the spot, it is claimed.

Piles of waste has been strewn across Bentley Cairn and Cairn Drive close to Emanuel Parish Church.

Those attending weddings and funerals at the church are having to put up with the eyesore of beds, furniture, old toys and building materials and it is feared it could force people away.

The latest rubbish was dumped late on Saturday but was still at the site today.

Malcolm Wolverson, aged 65, lives at the vicarage and is a helper at the church.

He said: “The fact this could put people off using the church for weddings and funerals and other events is definitely a worry. It doesn’t look good and gives the wrong impression.

“A few months ago there was someone who dumped a lot of builders’ waste so there was a lot of bricks and clay in plastic bags and things and timber with nails sticking out and stuff. We have also had children’s toys and soiled nappies. It has been happening quite regularly. It is getting a bit of a pain particularly with people coming up to church who are not going to want to drive past that sort of thing before a wedding.

“There are always people up there with dogs and children and this is unsafe. It is quite annoying when there is ways and means of disposing of this sort of thing these days.”

His wife Margaret added: “It is quite dark with no lights around the spot where they are dumping.”

Walsall Council said its Street Pride team was investigating the latest incident in Bentley.