COMMENT: Those who fly-tip are blighting our landscape

A shocking 100m x 100m tip has been discovered near woodland on the outskirts of Havant, prompting a criminal investigation by the Environment Agency.

The sickening site contains thousands of pieces of rubbish and has been labelled an '˜environmental hazard' by investigators.

In fact Nigel Oliver, criminal investigator at the Environment Agency, has said the size and scale of this operation has shocked him. '˜I've never seen anything like this locally '“ it is one of the biggest I have seen in this area.

'˜This is commercial criminality on an industrial scale.'

The News has reported many times in recent months about the menace of fly-tipping.

And while the authorities have vowed to catch and punish those responsible, they are going to need our help.

It is believed at least three commercial firms have been involved in the illegal operation, dumping anything from 40 to 50 loads over the past couple of months.

It seems firms have been touting for business as reputable organisations from unsuspecting members of the public.

Someone somewhere must have an inkling who these people are.

They are blighting our landscape which could take years to recover to how it should be.

There is simply no excuse for dumping rubbish on this scale '“ or any scale for that matter.

The public are being hoodwinked into believing their waste is being disposed of in the proper manner.

But it is the public who will, in a roundabout way, being paying for the actions of those concerned.

Let's hope these unscrupulous people are caught and brought to justice sooner rather than later.