RESIDENTS of Okehampton are ‘disgusted’ by the growing amount of fly-tipping happening in areas bordering the town.

Despite the potential fines of up £50,000 for people caught fly-tipping, mounds of rubbish have been found in certain woodland areas which surround the town.

Several people living in the town have expressed concerns about rubbish being dumped in rural areas, including Meldon Woods.

Fly-tipping is a criminal offence. Anyone caught dumping waste can face an on-the-spot penalty of £400 and in extreme cases could face a £50,000 fine.

Resident Emma Taynton-Young said: ‘I think the council need to do some PR around use of the tip. People think they will be charged to take anything there. It’s time for some action on behalf of the council to show people how to access services like the tip.’

Okehampton Mayor Cllr Jan Goffey said:’We are lucky as we have a Devon County Council facility for disposing of domestic and trade waste on the Exeter Road Industrial Estate.

‘There is a small charge for disposing of certain items but the majority of domestic waste can be taken up there for recycling or dispatch to the incinerator in Exeter. Trade waste will be charged as this frequently cannot be recycled.

‘We live in a beautiful area and it is very upsetting to see careless dumping of even small amounts of rubbish in our lay-bys and field gates.

‘Remember there’s no such thing as the dog poo fairy and there’s no such thing as the rubbish removal fairy either!’

Okehampton town clerk Paul Snell said: ‘Whilst the town parish itself presents few opportunities for undetected fly-tipping, this has certainly become a significant issue for neighbouring fields, woods and lanes in the surrounding parishes.

‘Recent news reports have featured successful prosecutions of fly-tippers and it seems one of the few ways of ensuring a real sanction for people who are prepared to maliciously dispose of waste materials, spoiling the local amenity and causing completely unwanted public and private expenditure to clean up the mess, particularly when we are well served with recycling facilities.’A spokesperson for Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council said: 'It is very disappointing when rubbish is fly-tipped in both public places and private land, it causes us as a council additional work, also landowners and West Devon Borough Council as the authority responsible for removing the waste. 'We find it difficult to understand why individuals take the trouble to transport the waste to dump it where they shouldn’t as opposed to just taking it to the recycling facility nearby.'