Fury after fly-tippers damage maize field
A farmer has reacted furiously after seeing flytippers drive through his maize field to dump garden waste.
Andrew Nicholls said he could not understand the mentality of people who carried out such acts of vandalism.
The damaged was caused when a car left the road and ploughed through his crops along Bramley Lane, off the A454 Wolverhampton to Bridgnorth road.
Mr Nicholls, who runs H Snelson & Son Ltd, at Rudge Heath & Hill End Farms, in Claverley, near Bridgnorth, said he was now tasked with removing all the rubbish himself, while trying not to damage any more of the crop.
He said: "This is just the latest incredible incident, which took place in my field along Brantley Lane.
"A vehicle entered the maize field and drove in a circle through the crop to dump a load of leylandii clippings in a pile.
"It caused a lot of damage to the maize as well.
"I find it difficult to understand the mentality of anyone who can destroy the hard work and expense of growing a crop such as maize, and deprive animals of their winter food, just for the sake of discarding tree clippings.
"I now have to remove the rubbish, being careful not to cause any more damage to the valuable crop."
Mr Nicholls, whose family has farmed the land since the 1920s, said items such as wardrobes, bricks and general garden waste were constantly being dumped on his land.
But he said he was loath to touch it because once he did he would have to pay to get the items removed out of his own pocket.
He said: "We are very vulnerable because we are right next to the A454.
"I would think it was dumped by cowboys who have done a cheap job somewhere nearby.
"It is likely to cost us about £500 but we're worried about causing even more mess if we remove it.
"Fly-tipping is on the increase and we simply cannot understand why someone would drive all the way to our field to dump green cuttings when they can simply be left in a green bin."
Mr Nicholls said he was keen to know if anyone in the area had employed a tree pruner around September 6 in the Claverley, Pattingham or Seisdon area, or saw a tipping vehicle or trailer passing by with tree clippings.
He said: "I believe it is excellent people and the media are becoming more aware of the increasing indiscriminate littering on country lane verges and in field gateways.
"Miscreants leave gates open, allowing stock to either escape or cause them harm from rubbish left in fields.
"But I would very much appreciate any help in identifying the culprits."
