Fly tipping is becoming increasingly more harmful

Fly tipping is one of this country’s biggest problems and clearly Portsmouth is no exception. Thanks to a heap of rubbish dumped in a George Street, Buckland, one woman has fallen victim to someone else’s crime – and ended up in hospital.

After her traumatising experience, Susan Hunt said: ‘I don’t know if it was metal cladding or shelving because it must have just slightly touched my leg or foot and it sent me sprawling right across the pavement.

‘When I finally managed to come to and got up, I got myself up on my elbow and there was brown metal plastic cladding. I didn’t even feel it but then I realised I was bleeding profusely.’

Right now it’s not clear who owns the land. Whoever it is needs to learn from this lesson. Susan ended up at QA and had to undergo surgery, and if they’re not careful, there could be many more shocking incidents like this.

Portsmouth City Council had been told about the rubbish four days before Susan was slashed – and a ‘council aware’ sticker was stuck on the mess.

Surely more has to be done to encourage residents to use tips and bins to dispose of their rubbish? Leaving piled up heaps – with sharp and hazardous objects in them – is unacceptable.

It’s time for everyone to do their bit for their own community. The council should come down harder on those who are ruining public spaces by fly tipping.

Susan says her life has been ‘turned upside down’. Before lockdown, Susan was busy attending many clubs. But since March she has been confined to a daily short walk and sitting in her garden. Now she cannot even do that. She adds: ‘It’s really quite traumatic, I’m still coming to terms with it.’

Everybody should take it upon themselves to dispose of their rubbish in a responsible manner and this needs to be supported by the council.