Ice cream van ‘left to rot’ at disused quarry

Scores of Scottish beauty spots have been blighted by fly-tipping in recent months, with each incident prompting outrage from landowners, politicians and those looking to enjoy the landscape.

In November, huge mounds of dirt, guttering and turf were left lying on the picturesque Stirling Hill near Boddam. It was the latest in a long string of incidents, with an ice cream van and a car also left to rot at the abandoned quarry in what were thought to be “pre-planned” dumpings.

Last summer, dozens of tyres were dumped just feet from the boundary of the Cairngorms National Park. More than 30 were counted north of the Slochd Summit, with Highland Council’s environmental health team called in to dispose of them.

However, a local shepherd found an innovative use for them and took the tyres to weigh down nets over his hay bales.

Moray MSP Richard Lochhead teamed up with the Forestry Commission to stamp out fly-tipping in his local woodlands.

Cowboy workmen were blamed for the worst of the damage, which included the dumping of 50 tyres in Lossiemouth.

Elsewhere, a truckload of hazardous asbestos was discarded near Spey Bay, leading to health concerns from locals.

Illegal tradesmen were also thought to be at fault for an incident at Mount Alexander in Camaghael, Fort William, back in March. Such was the volume of waste, there were fears removing it could unearth older fly-tipped materials or even leave the ground unstable.

It was estimated the clean-up would cost taxpayers £50,000.