FLY-TIPPERS returned to the same spot just 48 hours after one lot of waste was cleared away by Stroud District Council.

Fly-tipping has long been a problem in Harescombe but in the last six months SDC alongside local residents have made great headway in cleaning up the area and tracking down offenders.

However, this month the village has been hit twice within a few days.A large amount of household waste was dumped in the entrance lane into Harescombe overnight on Friday, August 2.

Brian Stanley, chairman of Harescombe Parish Council, said: "We called SDC to report the incident on Friday, August 2 and it sent a team to clean up the mess and begin an investigation very quickly.

"However, less than 48 hours later, fly-tippers had come back to the exact same place to dump the same level of mess.

"It is just so frustrating as the council provide really good recycling facilities less than half-a-mile away and people are employed there to help you dump your rubbish.

"I don’t know why these offenders feel they can just dump their waste in Harescombe but hopefully SDC will be able to track them down like it has done in the past."

A spokesman for the public spaces department at SDC said: "We are investigating the incident in Harescombe and we have been able to obtain information which may lead us to where the fly-tipping has orientated from.

"We take all instances of fly-tipping very seriously, once informed of fly-tipping, public space officers check the waste for evidence as soon as possible which may help us track down culprits.

"Council officers regularly patrol the district and have erected signs in fly-tipping hot spots and have seen a reduction in fly-tipping over the last couple of years."

Offenders prosecuted for fly-tipping face a fine of up to £50,000 or jail. If the case goes to the crown court fines are unlimited and a sentence of up to five years can be imposed if hazardous waste is dumped.

SDC offers a bulky collection service for items such as sofas, televisions and wardrobes.

For more information on this or to report fly-tipping go to www.stroud.gov.uk or call 01453 754424.