Large fly-tipping site left on A32 near Winchester

The authority was notified of the site on the A32 between Wickham and Droxford on Monday.

Among the fly-tipped rubbish was a bed, a mattress, and a vacuum cleaner, with household waste scattered across the road, a hedgerow, and an adjacent field.

A spokeswoman for Winchester City Council, said: ‘The large fly-tip of household waste which including a bed, mattress and a hoover on the A32 between Wickham and Droxford has been cleared by Winchester City Council’s contractors, and the council will actively pursue a prosecution if sufficient evidence can be identified.

‘Fly-tipping is a serious criminal offence which can be punishable by substantial fines of up to £50,000 or imprisonment.’

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all household waste and recycling centres in Hampshire and Portsmouth are closed. District councils are still collecting waste and recycling from homes.

The council spokeswoman said: ‘Our waste services continue to operate as normal but our bulky waste collection service has been temporarily suspended as we put all our efforts into keeping our refuse and recycling collection services on schedule.

‘We ask that any bulky waste is stored and not fly-tipped as this is not only unsightly, but diverts our crews from frontline response for the benefit of all our community.’

The site had been flagged on the fly-tipping reporting app ClearWaste, with its Hampshire-based creator saying there had an increase in fly-tipped sites across the Portsmouth area over the last four weeks.

Martin Montague, who created the app last year, said: ‘There has been a definite increase, it’s everywhere at the moment.

‘‘It’s very, very common at the moment, and it’s all household waste – stuff that could have gone to the tip.’‘My advice would be never pay cash and always check if someone has a waste transfer licence.’