Mountain of 'disgusting' rubbish piled up by the canal near Harborough has now been removed - again

A mountain of “disgusting” rubbish piled up by the canal on the edge of Market Harborough for the second time in less than a year has now been removed.

The toxic domestic and industrial waste – which included a bike – has been cleared away from the banks and towpath of the popular waterway by the Canal & River Trust.

The national charity, which operates and maintains the country’s historic sprawling canal network, has been forced to dig deep and fork out itself to have the rubbish taken away.

Fly-tippers struck just feet from Greenacres travellers’ site to the north of Market Harborough just months after another “ugly eyesore” at the same spot was tackled last spring.

The Canal & River Trust said it’s working alongside Harborough District Council to try to defend and protect an attractive area of town very popular with walkers, runners and cyclists.

Today a Trust spokesman told the Harborough Mail: “It’s disgusting that people who enjoy the canal have had to endure the repeated abuse of this vital space.

“The Canal & River Trust, a charity, has incurred the cost of removing waste from the bank - which is not in our ownership - and the ongoing problem is something that's needed help from others to resolve.

“We welcomed the steps taken last year by the council to serve Untidy Land Notices and the fencing - which seemed to have a temporary impact,” added the spokesman.

“We'll continue to engage with the council and others to put a stop to this waste crime and ongoing spoiling of the canal for boaters and those enjoying the towpath.”

Harborough council said it’s actively striving to find long-term answers to foiling and deterring fly-tippers.

The local authority said that travelling families at Greenacres have now put up a fence to help shield the canal bank and prevent even more waste being dumped.

Cllr Jonathan Bateman, Harborough District Council’s lead on environment, told the Mail: “We are aware that this is an ongoing issue on private land.

“The council has previously issued untidy land notices, and these have been effective, but they are not a long-term solution.

“The occupants of the Greenacres site have erected a fence to restrict access to the bank,” said Cllr Bateman.

“The council is also working closely with the Canal and River Trust, which looks after canals and waterways, to try to resolve this issue.”

Outdoors campaigner Peter Pollak, 76, sparked the latest fly-tipping investigation after he tipped off the Mail last month.

Talking at the time, Peter insisted: “This is nothing short of despicable, it’s absolutely disgusting.

“We had to fight so hard last March to get the first lot of stinking trash and garbage removed and now it’s happened again.

“I cannot believe that this deplorable crime is being committed all over again.

“I was walking along by the canal with my wife Fran when we spotted this terrible mess.

“It really is an ugly blot on the landscape,” said Peter, Harborough’s representative of the Open Spaces group, the UK’s oldest leading conservation society.

“Domestic and building rubbish has been scattered all over – and there’s at least one bike been dumped too.

“We were horrified to see this horrible sight,” added the retired insurance surveyor and devoted lifelong hiker.

“The people who are doing this should be ashamed.

“This is a blatant eco-crime and the irresponsible fools who think this is all right should be punished and made to pay.

“This sort of scandalous onslaught against the environment has a savage impact on wildlife and nature as well,” insisted Peter, who lives in Market Harborough.