Landowner will have to clear watermelons dumped on private land

More than 100 watermelons dumped in an alleyway in the West Midlands were left on private land, council chiefs have said.

The mouldy lot of fruit was dumped off Old Lode Lane in the Sheldon area of Solihull last week.

It prompted calls for Solihull Council to act to clean up the fruit, which was blocking several garages along the alleyway.

But now the authority has revealed the watermelons were left on private land – with chiefs trying to make contact with the landowner to shift the fruit.

A spokesman for Solihull Council said: "The watermelons have been left on private land therefore it is the responsibility of the landowner to remove them.

"We are currently trying to make contact with them so that this can be done as soon as possible.

Many pieces of the fruit had been cut open and were covered in mould, while others have totally collapsed to form a pool of watermelon sludge.

They are spread over the entire width of the alleyway, near to Valley Primary School, along with two wooden crates.

It has prompted jokes from people on social media, including from Julie Rathbone who described it as a "drive-by-fruiting," while others said the fruit could have been donated to a zoo in need.