Friday Woods Colchester is hit by fly tipped waste

At least 15 black bin bags filled with rubbish were ditched in Friday Woods, off Finchingfield Way in the south of Colchester, over the weekend.

Pictures show the waste split open with its contents spilled out across the woodland which is popular with families.

It comes as Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs figures reveal Colchester faced a record level of fly tipping last year.

Mess - the household waste dumped in Friday Woods (Image: Newsquest)

The culprit is now being hunted by Berechurch councillor Dave Harris who is offering £50 for any information which leads to their prosecution.

He said: “Why anybody that is community minded would want to do such a thing on their own doorstep beggars belief.

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“This is an area which grows bluebells and doing this to the wildlife is plainly selfish.

“I believe it is very, very few people that take the attitude of dumping stuff like this.

“They really need to take a look at their souls and ask why they would do this and have such a negative impact on other people’s lives.

Eyesore - household waste is spilling out of the black bin bags (Image: Newsquest)

“We need to make an example of whoever did this. Litter is bad enough but fly tipping this much rubbish is a disgrace.”

Mr Harris said anyone with information should contact him, Colchester Council and the police.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "Fly tipping is a criminal offence and any instances identified will be reported to the appropriate authorities for investigation.

"Fly tipping and littering is not only anti-social, but also detrimental to wildlife and the environment.

"The MOD urges members of the public to behave responsibly when visiting Friday Woods Training Area and the wider Defence Training Estate."

The incident follows campaigner Vaughan Young deeming the A12 at Colchester an “authorised fly tipping site”.

Reward - Berechurch councillor Dave Harris is offering a reward for information which leads to the culprit's prosecution (Image: Newsquest)

He added: “It leaves me livid that people dump their rubbish.

“Colchester will soon be known as the city with the longest fly tipping dual carriageway in the country.”

The latest statistics show there were 2,824 fly tipping incidents in Colchester in the year to March 2022 – up from 2,357 the year before and the highest figure since records began in 2012-13.

A significant amount of fly-tipping in the area last year was discovered on highways at 73 per cent and on council land at 26 per cent.

Of the discarded waste, the 53 per cent was household waste and 26 per cent was household black bin bags.

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