Piles of fly-tipped waste cleared from estate

Waste illegally dumped in the middle of a housing estate was at risk of exploding if set alight, a council has warned.

Two large piles of waste which included gas canisters, paint and medical equipment were fly-tipped on a playing field in Dorset Avenue in Birtley, Gateshead, over the space of a week, according to Gateshead Council.

It began clearing the waste on Wednesday and said the 20 staff and 12 vehicles, including tractors, needed to do so would cost more than £20,000.

The local authority believes some of the waste had been dumped by criminals and a "minority of residents" ahead of Bonfire Night and there had been plans to set both piles alight.

The council's service director for environment Michael Lamb said: "This is not stuff you can just burn, we've got sofas, washing machines, gas bottles, aerosol canisters, you name it."

Syringes, industrial waste and toxic paint were also found when the BBC visited the scene.

One pile of waste was near a climbing frame, which the council said could have led to children becoming "seriously injured".

Lamb said: "From a public safety view, we cannot allow this to be burnt, the fumes, potential explosions, it needs to be removed and it will cost thousands."

He said the council had also had to divert staff and equipment away from other services, which meant street bins would not be cleared and public areas could not be maintained while the work was carried out.

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