COMPANIES on the Mart Road Industrial Estate in Minehead have voiced their frustration over tonnes of industrial rubbish which has not been cleared for around two years.

The pile consists of bailed-up blocks of cardboard and plastic, a rusty skip, asbestos roofing and broken glass and is located at the bottom of the road near the exit for the West Somerset Garden Centre car park and opposite Minehead Scaffolding Services site.

The rubbish is understood to have been dumped by former skip company which was based on the road but shut down two years ago after its licence was revoked.

Clive Sweet, owner of Noveltoys on the Mart Road Industrial Estate said that it had been there for a long time and rats had been seen around the pile.

"There is a rusty skip with broken glass, bailed up cardboard and plastics and asbestos roofing and has been there for a long time, it has to be quite unhygienic," Mr Sweet said.

Another local business owner, who wanted to remain anonymous, added: "What annoys me is that if you had a load of rubbish on your driveway with rats knocking about, the council would be on top of you to get you to move it but nothing has been done about this.

"It has been here for close to two years now and I know a number of local businesses have reported it. It has a bit of a smell, is not good to look at, and it wants shifting."

He also said he believed the pile was getting bigger as people were fly-tipping and adding to it.

West Somerset Council said it was aware of the matter and that it was subject to further investigation.

"In relation to the large quantity of waste deposited on the highway in the Mart Road area of Minehead, West Somerset Council has received a number of complaints and is investigating this matter," a spokesman for West Somerset Council said.

"The Council is keen to reach a suitable conclusion for proper removal and disposal and is working with both local businesses, Somerset County Council and the Environment Agency."

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said that as the waste was located on a public highway it did not fall under the agency's authority.

"Following ongoing problems with a local skip company, the Environment Agency successfully prosecuted the operator who had his licence revoked.

"A quantity of waste was left on the site after the operator vacated the premises leaving the landowner to clear the site. At some point, following the closure of the skip business, some waste was deposited in Mart Lane.

"Both West Somerset District Council and Minehead Chamber of Commerce are keen for the waste to be removed and have made this clear to the Environment Agency.

"Having successfully prosecuted the former site operator, there is little more the Environment Agency can do as it has no powers or jurisdiction over the depositing of waste on the public highway."

Alex de Mendoza, chairman of the Minehead Chamber of Commerce, said he was frustrated by the situation. "There has to be tonnes of rubbish down there. I guess it would cost between £3,000 and £4,000 to remove but it seems no-one is prepared to pay to fix it," Mr de Mendoza said.

"It is exactly the sort of thing people get frustrated about and something ought to be done to sort it out."