Mess on the moors

RUBBISH tip . . . furniture was left at Brunclough, Diggle

THIS ugly scene greeted walkers at one of Saddleworth’s spectacular moorland gateways.

Three-seater settees, beds, armchairs and household furniture was dumped by fly-tippers at Brunclough Reservoir, above Diggle.

The discarded furniture was strewn across a car park a few yards from the busy A62 Saddleworth to Marsden road.

Illegal fly-tipping has increased greatly in recent times: Saddleworth’s Streetscene workers clear up to a ton of rubbish a week.

But charity Emmaus has stepped in and suggested in this case the dumped furniture could benefit the homeless. Emmaus provides 24 people with a place to live and work and runs two shops, in Uppermill and Mossley, selling repaired furniture.

Parish councillor Alan Roughley, an ardent protector of the moors, said: “This is fly-tipping on an industrial scale, and once again suspiciously close to the border with West Yorkshire. I will be checking the borough is working closely with counterparts in Kirklees and Calderdale on what is an increasingly worrying problem.”

He urged passing drivers to use mobile phones to take pictures of offending vehicles without putting themselves at risk.

“A quick photo of the vehicle, including its number plate, could be passed to Streetscene and provide real evidence which would stand up in court,” he said.

“What is really annoying is many of the dumped items could have been passed on to charities.”

Anyone with any information on fly-tipping should call 0161-770 2244 or email contact@oldham.gov.uk.