The dumped boat near The Hem, Shifnal.

Council bosses across Shropshire are hoping the county will not become a dumping ground over the Bank Holiday weekend as homeowners decide to have a spring clear out.

A warning has come from rural watchdog, the CLA, who said it expects Easter to signal the start of another year of waste being dumped illegally in gateways, fields and hedgerows and on private land.

Donna Tavernor, from CLA West Midlands, said: “This is the big weekend for DIY, gardening or just a spring clear out and that’s when we’ll be getting the rubbish because some people simply can’t be bothered to go to the re-cycling centres.”

In one of the most bizarre cases of fly-tipping seen in the county over the last couple of years, an old motor boat which was stripped of its engine and dashboard controls was dumped near a sewage works off the main Shifnal to Madeley road.

Water company Severn Trent needed a heavy truck to remove the boat from the lane.

Tim Sneddon, Shropshire Council’s head of environmental maintenance for central Shropshire, said: “We are committed to preventing fly-tipping in Shropshire. It damages the environment as well as diverting public money which could have been spent on other essential services.”

He added: “Fly-tipping is a serious offence, which carries a custodial punishment and can result in fines up to £50,000.”

Miss Tavernor added: “Fly-tipping occurs all year round, but this is undoubtedly the worst period of the year.

“We are asking everyone who has waste to dispose of not to take the easy option. We need to achieve a culture where littering generally, and fly-tipping, in particular is socially unacceptable. Tyres, because of the rules of disposal, are especially prevalent.”

By Jason Lavan