FLYTIPPERS are turning the countryside into a huge rubbish tip with all kinds of items dumped by the roadside and in fields.

Much of the waste being discarded could easily be put in with normal household refuse collections or recycling bins but, at great cost to the council-tax payer, people choose to dump it.

The Chronicle joined officers from Cumnock police station, council enforcement officer Brian Murphy and councillor Jim McMahon on a routine patrol.

Grass verges are littered with fast food containers, paper and cardboard waste and many other things which have been thrown out of cars.

But while we were on the road between Logan and Craigens, the CCTV vehicle picked up a number of items which had been dumped at a passing place.

There was a box — which someone had went to the trouble of tying up — an old vacuum cleaner, bags of empty drinks cans, discarded materials, full black bags and more.

Brian put on his protective gloves and searched for clues as to who had created the mess — he found paperwork which was put into an evidence bag and the team had a result.

Councillor McMahon was furious at the state of the ditch where everything was lying and vowed to do everything in his power to put an end to flytipping.

He said: “Apart from the obvious impact it has on our countryside, this is a scourge on our society that we have to bring out guys like Brian to issue enforcement notices.

“It is people totally disregarding the countryside and they know what they are doing as they have been educated in the past — but also have the facilities to dispose of waste.

“There is a unit at Skares and the people who have dumped this rubbish would have had to travel the same distance, or even more, to get rid of their garbage here.

“Another issue is the type of waste now being thrown away. It could be contaminated, get into the fields and have a further impact on sheep, horses and cows.

“There is no need for this happening whatsoever. So, if education is not the answer, then it has to be enforcement.

“Then, if the fines are not heavy enough, then the vehicles that are seen getting rid of the stuff should be impounded with the police getting involved.

“After that, we should let the courts decide whether they are to get their vehicles back again — being without them for a period will, in itself, be a deterrent.

“The community is no longer prepared to tolerate this.”

It was all in a day’s work for enforcement officer Brian, who is urging people to seek alternatives while a major facility for the area is refurbished.

He said: “There are other places people can take their waste while the main recycling centre at Kilmarnock is closed.

“But fly tipping is something we deal with on a daily basis, whether it is closed or not, and we come down hard on the people that we catch.

“It is a £200 fine for small items but the larger incidents are reported to the fiscal and a sheriff can impose a £40,000 fine.”

But the scenario could easily have been avoided if people were not so selfish and uncaring about the environment and their community.

“This is a typical example of what we find and unfortunately everything here, the cans, boxes and so on, could all be recycled

“It would have cost the person nothing to get rid of all this but it is now going to cost around £200 to get it uplifted,” Brian added.

While the site at Western Road, Kilmarnock, is closed residents can take waste to Garlaff, Skares, KA18 2RB — extended opening hours are 8am to 6pm, seven days a week.

Alternatively, the Southhook Waste Transfer Centre, Kilmarnock, KA1 2NN which is opening every Sunday between 8am and 6pm.

Waste Management Services helpline – 01563 554033 will be operational seven days a week, during office hours.