What a mess!
Appeal as fly-tippers create eyesore
A Strathaven dog walker has highlighted growing problems with fly-tippers in the area after discovering a huge pile of bricks abandoned at the side of a country road last weekend.
Archie Watt discovered the stack of bricks dumped by the side of Muirkirk Road just outside the town on a popular dog walking route.
After noticing the mess, Archie reported it to the council.
Now he has fears over the land which he claims has been covered in all kinds of debris in recent weeks –including fridges, chairs, mattresses, clothes and even dirty nappies.
Mr Watt called for more to be done to clamp down on those covering the countryside in filth.
“I take my dogs out there daily, and it’s just got worse and worse recently,” he told the News.
“It’s everything from beds, builders’ rubble, fencing, suitcases full of clothes, right down to bags of dirty used nappies.”
Shirley Clelland, head of fleet and environmental services at South Lanarkshire Council, encouraged more people to get in touch regarding fly-tipping after they cleared the bricks.
She told the News: “We are grateful to members of the public who bring fly-tipping to our attention.
“The council takes fly-tipping of any type seriously and I would urge members of the public to report such incidents to Environmental Services through the council’s website at www. southlanarkshire.gov.uk, where any information that may assist in the identification of individuals involved in fly-tipping can also be provided in confidence.”
Environmental Services issue fixed-penalty fines of £200 and report offenders to the Procurator Fiscal who may take further action.