Cars seized and arrest warrant issued as residents slam 'disgusting' Wolverhampton fly-tipping

Residents living near a fly-tipping hotspot in Wolverhampton say they are being plagued by rats, discarded mattresses and drug-related activity – as the council reveals two vehicles have been seized and a warrant for arrest issued in connection with waste offences in the street.

People living around Leicester Street say rubbish is being dumped almost daily in a walkway between residential streets, with mattresses, furniture and household waste repeatedly appearing despite regular clear-ups.

Three residents, who all wished to remain anonymous, spoke of their frustration at the ongoing problem, claiming the area has become a magnet for rats and anti-social behaviour.

Wolverhampton Council has confirmed that two vehicles have been seized in connection with waste dumped on Leicester Street this year, while four fixed penalty notices and a warrant for arrest have also been issued for fly-tipping offences in the street.

One woman, who has lived in the area for seven years, said the problem had become so severe that she had seen as many as nine or ten rats in her garden at once.

She said: "We've got rat traps now because they were huge, and we had sometimes nine or ten of them in the garden.

"They were bigger than my foot. It's terrible.

"In the past three months, we've had armchairs, two armchairs, and they've made themselves comfortable in the alley.

"You report them, they'll get picked up, and by that afternoon there's more rubbish there again."

At the time of the visit, four mattresses had been dumped in the walkway, with residents claiming another had appeared overnight.

The woman said people could regularly be heard dragging furniture and other items into the alley during the night or early morning.

She also claimed the walkway had become associated with drug use and other criminal activity, leaving her reluctant to venture out after dark.

"I don't go out at night," she said. "If we do, we get a taxi back. It's not safe."

Another resident, a father who lives close to the alley, said he had stopped allowing his children to play outside because of concerns about discarded needles and rats.

He claimed needles had previously been thrown over his garden fence, while rats had burrowed underneath fencing and left droppings around the property.

He said: "It's stressful. It's annoying. As a parent, you want your kids to be able to play, enjoy themselves and have a bit of peace of mind.

"It's very distressing to tell your own child you can't play in your garden, or you can't play in your own neighbourhood, because it's not safe."

The man said he had previously confronted people he believed were responsible for dumping rubbish and had submitted CCTV evidence to the council.

However, he claimed the problem had continued despite his efforts.

"When one person does it, everybody else thinks it's okay," he said. "It was originally one mattress. Then it's another mattress, there's another mattress, and it continues on."

He added that the situation had become so frustrating that he was looking to move away from the area.

A third resident described the state of the walkway as "disgusting" and said the repeated dumping was damaging the reputation of Wolverhampton.

He said council workers did a good job of removing the rubbish when it was reported, but their efforts were being undermined by people who simply dumped more waste.

"I have reported this to the council many a time," he said. "They come and do a good job. But as soon as they've gone, it's there again.

"People think, 'Oh, because the council will pick it up, we'll do it again, and they'll pick it up, and we'll do it again'."

He said the rubbish was not limited to mattresses, with nappies and other household waste also being discarded in the walkway.

The resident was particularly concerned about the impression the area gave to football supporters visiting Wolverhampton.

"People from other towns come to watch Wolves play, and they walk through this," he said. "Is this what they think of Wolverhampton?

"I've been to many towns watching football and I've never ever seen anything as bad as this."

He called for CCTV cameras and tougher enforcement to deter those responsible.

Responding to the concerns, Councillor Qaiser Azeem, Wolverhampton Council's cabinet member for resident services, said the authority was taking action against those responsible for illegally dumping rubbish.

He said: "We have seized two vehicles from Leicester Street this year in relation to waste dumped on the footpath and highway. Four fixed penalty notices and a warrant for arrest have also been issued for fly-tipping offences in the same street.

"Fly tipping is an absolute disgrace and we always welcome information to help us track down those responsible for this crime.

"In fact, in Wolverhampton the rate of fly-tipping convictions and vehicles seized for use in fly-tipping in 2025 was almost eight times more than the other Black Country authorities combined.

"We are doing everything we can to tackle this thoughtless behaviour and we appreciate the help of local residents as we try and stop these criminals from spoiling our city. There is simply no excuse to illegally dump rubbish, in Wolverhampton or anywhere."

Councillor Azeem also confirmed that additional measures were planned to address concerns about drug use and anti-social behaviour in the neighbourhood.

He added: "Further to this, outreach drug and alcohol services for the neighbourhood area in which Leicester Street is located are also due to be enhanced – and we are targeting more enforcement against individuals causing anti-social behaviour."

The council is urging anyone with information about fly-tipping to report it through its Shop a Tipper scheme by calling 01902 552700 or visiting www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/fly-tipping.