Household rubbish weighing 30,000 tonnes has been illegally dumped at a protected site near the Leicestershire village of Shawell, covering an area equivalent to a football pitch. The mountain of shredded waste has caused the area around Cave's Inn Pits, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), to emit a strong odour, despite a legal waste tip being only a ten-minute drive away.
Discovery and Impact
Fly-tippers used soil in an attempt to conceal the massive pile of rubbish, which is polluting the beauty spot located behind a service station on the A5. The dump was only discovered after passers-by reported a foul smell. The Environment Agency and Natural England have now urged the public to stay away from the site while investigations are underway.
Resident Sallyann Bundock, 56, who has lived in the area for two decades, expressed her dismay: "It's really sad to see what they have done up there. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and lots of people walk their dogs around the fields nearby - but now it just stinks and we can't go up there. We started noticing a really pungent smell probably around Easter time. It must have taken thousands of trucks to unload all that - yet the landowner doesn't seem to know anything about it."
Another villager, who wished to remain anonymous, added: "It's disgusting there's an illegal dump so close to our pretty village. There's a tip not that far away so there's really no excuse for illegal dumping. It has left a really unpleasant smell too."
Investigation and Response
Alongside a criminal investigation, the Environment Agency is assessing local air and water quality to prevent further environmental harm. Ian Jones, area director for the West Midlands at the Environment Agency, stated: "This is a sickening case of large-scale illegal waste dumping, and we share the public's disgust. We have launched an investigation with Natural England to find the criminals and ensure they pay the price for their despicable actions. We ask the public to stay away from the area, which is on private land, while we investigate."
Phil Hukin, principal manager for Leicestershire and Rutland at Natural England, commented: "This site contained some of the best remaining areas of neutral marsh in Leicestershire. It is heartbreaking to see one of England's precious sites of special scientific interest damaged like this. Our officers are working closely with Environment Agency colleagues to investigate this appalling crime."
The Environment Agency has appealed for anyone with information to call their incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
