GET MEOW-T OF HERE!
Fly-tipping so bad in alley that gang of cats follow carton character and set up home among dumped fridges, freezers and mattresses
A FAMILY of cats have started living amongst the flytipping in a Grimsby alleyway.
An alleyway at the back of Hainton Avenue, in Grimsby, has become home to a mother cat and her three kittens.
Following in the footsteps of Hanna-Barbera’s cartoon alleycat Top Cat and his friends, they have made a home nestled within the fridges, freezers and mattresses that have been dumped along the stretch.
A Grimsby-based animal rescue group have tried to lure the cats out – but have been unsuccessful in their attempts.
It is understood one of the young kittens has an eye infection. A member of Cats Lost and Found Rehoming Group Grimsby has reported the flytipping to various authorities – but it is yet to be cleared.
The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “What are we going to do? Just sit and wait until all of our cats are living down there in piles of s***?”
According to the Land Registry maps, each terraced house is responsible for the section of alleyway at the back of their property. Alleyways are classed as private land – and landlords or tenants should maintain their condition and keep them clear from waste and other potential hazards.
The woman added: “The state of this town is disgusting.
“This is just one of the alleyways that’s a problem in Grimsby.
“I have tried to catch the cats but they just run away and hide.
“I don’t want to climb in there because I need to take my own safety into account – I don’t know what’s in there.
“It’s full of rubbish – fridges, freezers, mattresses and there could be needles and rats in there too.” The woman has been told by North East Lincolnshire Council that the alleyway belongs to the terrace houses that back onto it.
But she has expressed her concerns that the tenants or landlords are unlikely to clear the alleyway, leading to even more problems in the future.
She said: “The council says it’s not their responsibility and it’s that of the tenants and landlords.
“But if they cared, we wouldn’t have this mess in the first place. “Nothing will get done. “What makes this alleyway different is the cats that have started living down there. But who knows what
else is living down other alleyways in Grimsby.
“This isn’t the only alleyway that’s a problem in Grimsby – they’re all getting like this.”
An NELC spokesperson
said:
“This alleyway is in a terrible mess and we sympathise with the people who live next to it. “Alleyways are private property and it’s up to the people who own them to keep them clear, that’s usually ll anyone with ith a property t th that t backs on to an alleyway.
“They are not public land and it’s not the Council’s job to keep them clear.
“There are a number of options for people who find their alley is used as a dumping ground - these include getting together with your neighbours to clear it or using a licensed waste carrier.
“If someone has seen rubbish being dumped in the alley or has CCTV footage and are willing to give us a statement of this, then we will investigate.
“We cannot act where there is no evidence available, or where people are not prepared to provide a witness statement.
“If we have enough evidence linking the waste to a particular property or a landlord, then we will investigate and take appropriate action.”