Mountain of rubbish dumped near canal

The rubbish was dumped on private land - meaning the landowner is responsible for clearing the mess Credit: BPM Media

An investigation is underway after a huge pile of rubbish was found dumped on a piece of derelict land in Stoke-on-Trent.

The rubbish was discovered near a canal by the entrance of the Harecastle Tunnel on the Trent and Mersey Canal at Goldenhill.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council, the Environment Agency and Staffordshire Police are working together to try to find out where the large-scale fly-tipping has come from.

It's believed the Lowlands Road site - near the JCB World Logistics base - is privately owned.

This means that the landowner is responsible for clearing the mess.

The latest fly-tipping incident comes months after 600 tonnes of plastic and paper was abandoned at the Old Colour Works, in Congleton Road, Biddulph.

In a separate incident, mounds of toilet paper, plastic bags and general household waste were discovered off Cinders Lane in Audley.

A local resident, who lives near a small stream in the area, says fly-tippers don't seem to care about the consequences of dumping the rubbish in water ways: