Fly-tippers dump caravan at Cotswold Water Park
STAFF at the Cotswold Water Park have been left stunned by "one of the worst" cases of fly-tipping ever - with a caravan full of rubbish dumped at the beauty spot.
Fly-tippers destroyed a height barrier when they towed the caravan into the Waterhay Car Park near Ashton Keynes.
The caravan was ripped in half as it smashed through the barrier, with the bottom half left at the entrance and the top half dragged into the car park.
After blocking the entrance to the car park, the fly-tippers sawed down gateposts to make their escape.
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Local residents found the caravan, which was full of household waste.
A spokeswoman for the Cotswold Water Park Trust said this was "one of the worst recorded incidents" of fly-tipping at the site.
After the initial shock of the discovery, the local community banded together to restore the car park to its previous condition within just a day of the incident happening.
The spokeswoman said: "Thankfully, within 24-hours the Cotswold Water Park ranger team, assisted by local farmers Richard Rummings, and Nick and Chris Freeth, along with local mechanic Matt Freeth, had totally cleared the site, fixed the entrance and height barriers, and reopened the car park."
Wiltshire police officers are investigating the fly-tipping incident.
The car park is a popular starting point for bird watchers, horse riders, cyclists and walkers who are accessing the Thames path and the many lakes in the area.
Last year, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust had to deal with a number of fly-tipping offences around Ashton Keynes.
This included an incident where 50 tyres were dumped at a nature reserve.
Old chemical drums have also been fly-tipped in the area.
Fly-tipping incidents at the Cotswold Water Park over the years have also included alcohol containers being dumped by revellers.
In 2010, park staff had to clean up more than 100 beer cans, bottles and food packages after a rave near the Cleveland Lakes nature reserve.
5 Comments
by bonzaharris1
Monday, February 11 2013, 7:24PM
“If they should ever have the good luck of tracing the owner, perhaps they could take the remains of his caravan to his house and dump it on his drive right up to the front door. Then prosecute and give them a good hefty fine.”
by Raccoon
Monday, February 11 2013, 5:56PM
“NibNobs, you're assuming that the idiot/criminal who last owned the caravan actually bothered to put a numberplate on it in the first place. There are loads of caravans and trailers being towed around with either no plate or a plate that doesn't match the motor vehicle.”
by NibNobs
Monday, February 11 2013, 2:04PM
“I hope the idiot who dumped it forgot to take the number plate off and can be traced!”
by L804XDG
Monday, February 11 2013, 1:55PM
“Matt1006 caravans have no scrap value, the caravan was most likely suffering damp, looking at the hitch on the front its a pre mid 90s caravan so probably had a rotten frame and was most likely the previous owner clearing the house out and using the caravan as a mobile skip, wouldnt be the first time and wont be the last”
by L804XDG
Monday, February 11 2013, 1:51PM
“Matt1006 caravans have no scrap value, the caravan was most likely suffering damp, looking at the hitch on the front its a pre mid 90s caravan so probably had a rotten frame and was most likely the previous owner clearing the house out and using the caravan as a mobile skip, wouldnt be the first time and wont be the last”
by Matt1006
Monday, February 11 2013, 12:31PM
“Won't be a nice task, but I hope the contents of the caravan are checked through thoroughly, in the hope of finding something that can then identify who is responsible.
No doubt tracing the legal owner of the caravan will prove fruitless, on the assumption that it's stolen.
Or just maybe it's not, and it was the last known owner who is responsible, and therefore stupid enough to dump their own caravan. Slim chance, though.
Problem is, if the guilty party is ever identified and prosecuted, the punishment dished out will be pathetically small, and not send out a signal to put other fly-tippers off.”