WASTE which is being illegally dumped is blighting the lives of people on a quiet Wellington street, it has been claimed.

Empty paint tubs, cardboard and other household waste has been fly-tipped in and around Sylvan Road, making it look shabby and left for somebody else to clear up.

Cllr Ross Henley, who represents Wellington East on the town council, sent these photographs to the County Gazette and says people are fed up of waking up to the mess.

He said: “There are several instances of fly-tipping on this site and it's looking very untidy and scruffy in places and upsetting residents who live there.

“Sylvan Road should not be used as a base for fly-tippers to dump their rubbish.”

Cllr Henley believes reduced opening hours at the tip at Poole Brickworks, near Nynehead, has contributed to the increase in dumped waste spotted over recent weeks.

He said he has also noticed waste at other locations and is calling on it to be sorted out.

Cllr Henley, a LibDem, added: “The Tory-run council of closing the tip at Poole two days a week and on Sunday afternoons is leading to fly-tipping in residential areas in my division.

“I have reported fly-tipping on its own land at the Blackdown Business Park, behind Sylvan Road. The area is looking very scruffy.

“The Deane should clear up its fly-tipping problem as soon as possible before it gets worse.”

Taunton Deane Council says convictions and fines are likely for would-be offenders.

A spokesman said: “It seems unlikely that changes to recycling site hours made two years and ten months ago are suddenly surprising would-be legitimate users of Wellington Recycling Centre and forcing them to break the law by fly-tipping their waste.

“Far more likely is that the fly-tips in these recent cases are from rogue builders or other tradespeople who cannot in any case use Wellington Recycling Centre to dispose of their commercial waste.

“No one should excuse the crime of fly-tipping for any reason, and all people in Wellington can take action to deter or catch criminals, from checking that anyone taking away their waste – be they builders or man-and-van traders – has the right waste carrier licence, to reporting and giving evidence against fly-tippers.”