Probe into 'deliberate' fire at 25-tonne fly-tipping site, which damaged forestry

An investigation has been launched after a fire at a large fly-tipping site, where the blaze spread to nearby trees.

Around 25 tonnes of rubbish, including four derelict caravans, were dumped at the site at Wentloog Road in St Mellons, Cardiff.

A spokeswoman for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the fire issuspected to have been caused deliberately, with neighbouring forestry damaged as a result.

Fly-tipping within the area has grown "dramatically" over the past two weeks, with the fire crime team keeping an eye on the site since the blaze on June 3rd.

The team have been liaising with the local authority and Natural Resources Wales to clean up the site and avoid further potential fires.

Last year there were nearly 4,000 rubbish fires across Wales, with the main causes being household bin bags, dumped furniture and litter.

Dean Loader, the service's head of community safety and partnerships, said: "One or two bags of rubbish, or a piece of furniture dumped, can attract more.

"There is a cost to us all - a drain on emergency services' resources, environmental damage, loss of wildlife and risk to property and life, especially during this time of national crisis.

"I would like to remind residents that they do have a legal obligation to take all reasonable measures to ensure that their waste is disposed of properly. We recommend always using a registered waste carrier and to check for a permit, licence, or exemption."

Environmental groups in Wales have also expressed concerns about a recent increase in fly-tipping and litter.

The Welsh Government has stressed that fly-tipping is never justified, adding that all waste should be stored safely or disposed of legally.