Hitting back at dumping

“The people who have done this have no respect. People have a go at the council but it isn’t their fault that this is being left in the streets.”

These are the words of the latest Wearsider to get behind the Echo’s Clean Streets campaign.

Disgusted Brian Fairless tipped us off about the rubbish problem blighting the Kenya Road area of Downhill.

Discarded food packaging and bags of rubbish have been strewn across paths and open land.

Mr Fairless told us: “It’s all over the Downhill area, to be honest. There’s household waste all over the place and it’s attracting rats as well.

“There’s a footpath which leads to Red House shops nearby and it looks as if someone has just tipped a load of bins out and left rubbish there.”

Mr Fairless is among many city folk supporting our Clean Streets campaign, which launched in December.

Since then readers have been getting behind the clean-up drive, and telling us of the rubbish blackspots in their area.

From Downhill to Barnes Park, Springwell to South Hylton, the problem is citywide.

The council has dedicated millions of pounds extra to tackling the problem and we are urging readers to play their part.

Anyone who sees items they think have been flytipped on a street or green space can contact Sunderland City Council to arrange its removal or ring our newsdesk on 0191 501 7436.

Last word to Mr Fairless: “At the end of the day it’s other people doing it and they shouldn’t be in this day and age.

“You just want to get them to stop it and it’ll make the place a lot better.”