'We will seek prosecution for fly tippers' council warns after huge pile of rubbish blocks Staffordshire country lane
South Staffordshire Council has moved to reassure the public that investigations are ongoing into a huge fly tip that blocked a lane.
A 3ft-tall pile of household waste was discovered in a lane in Withymere Lane, near Wombourne this week.
The pile of rubbish, which has since been cleared by South Staffordshire Council workers, contained a range of household items, including mattresses, clothes, plastics, furniture and many black bags.
Now, the authority has said that a number of investigations are ongoing into separate fly-tipping incidents across the region, adding that its teams will "seek prosecution" for those responsible.
A South Staffordshire Council spokesperson said: "We can confirm the fly tipping in Withymere Lane, Wombourne, was cleared by our street scene team this morning [Thursday].
"Staffordshire County Council has been made aware of the site, and it has now been cleared, allowing the road to be reopened.
"We would like to remind everyone that they have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to ensure their rubbish is not illegally dumped.
"This would include checking that anyone, including tradesmen who remove any form of rubbish from your home, has a waste carrier licence, and is keeping a record of business and invoices."
The authority added that a number of separate investigations into fly-tipping incidents are currently ongoing, including some where businesses in Wolverhampton and Birmingham have been paid to remove waste, only to fly tip the items in South Staffordshire.
The spokesperson added: "We have recently investigated a number of fly-tipping incidents where businesses in Wolverhampton and Birmingham have been paid to remove waste, which has later been fly tipped in South Staffordshire.
"These investigations are ongoing, and we will be seeking prosecution for those found to be responsible.
"Cheap removals, especially ones who advertise on social media and ask for cash payments, are often the onces where the waste ends up illegally dumped.
"Unfortunately, when that happens, the real cost is picked up by the local authority - and therefore local taxpayers."
