This is the rubbish dumped on a Sunderland road by 'mind-blowingly selfish' flytipper

A “mind-blowingly selfish” flytipper dumped a van load of rubbish in the middle of a usually busy road.
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Wood, bricks, metal and debris were illegally left on Tunstall Hope Road, in Sunderland, with council bosses having to bring in a tractor and a full team to clear the site.

Though the road was closed at the time, as teams carry out resurfacing work and safety improvements, the act has angered councillors.

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Labour councillor Phil Tye, who represents the Silksworth ward on Sunderland City Council, said: “This is one of the most shocking and reckless instances of fly tipping I can recall seeing in my time as a councillor and shows utter contempt for other residents, who ultimately pick up the bill for this unbelievably stupid act.

The waste illegally dumped on the road.The waste illegally dumped on the road.
The waste illegally dumped on the road.

“We will be doing everything in our power to find out who was responsible for this appalling incident and will ensure that they feel the full impact of the measures we have available to us.”

It is thought the waste was dumped on the evening of Monday, June 29, and Coun Tye added: “It’s a shameful act and I’d urge anyone with information about who may have been responsible to come forward.

“Flytipping is a blight on our communities and we have seen a sharp rise in instances during the pandemic.

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“Frontline staff at the council have worked tirelessly throughout the covid-19 crisis to keep services running, and selfish fly tippers repay them by dumping rubbish without any regard for their sacrifices.”

The Echo's Clean Streets campaign logo. The Echo's Clean Streets campaign logo.
The Echo's Clean Streets campaign logo.

The council introduced tougher measures to combat litter louts illegally dumping waste across the city in 2019 and flytipping also carries a maximum court fine of £50,000 and up to five years in jail.

The Echo has backed the authority’s actions as part of our Clean Streets campaign to keep the city tidy.

Labour councillor Michael Mordey, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for environment and transport, added: "There are too many people who seem to think they can dump rubbish wherever they like and this is one of the most outrageous examples of flytipping you’re ever likely to see.”

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Anyone with information about the incident should contact the council’s environmental services team on (0191) 5205555.

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