Lancaster charity's appeal over £600 monthly fly-tipping bill

A charity has slammed  fly-tippers illegally dumping furniture and other items  outside their shop '“ which is costing them £600 a month to clear up.
Flytippers have been dumping rubbish outside a charity shop in Lancaster.Flytippers have been dumping rubbish outside a charity shop in Lancaster.
Flytippers have been dumping rubbish outside a charity shop in Lancaster.

In the latest episode of fly-tipping, a large red sofa and a broken chest of drawers were dumped outside Wolfwood charity shop on Bowerham Road, Lancaster, over the weekend.Founder of Wolfwood Stephen Wakelin said: “Right from the start of the shop opening we have had stuff dumped, particularly on a Sunday, and this has been going on for four years.“In the past year it has built up and up which is costing us £600 a month to deal with, which comes out of charity funds.“You wouldn’t put that on your doorstep, why put that on a charity shop doorstep? People are just having a clear-out and can’t be bothered going to the tip, so dump it there. “We’ve also had builders’ plastering waste dumped there, and a binbag full of someone’s letters.“When it’s draining money that should be spent on other things, it’s a callous act to a charity that is serving the community. The council do want to act on it. “Coun Brendan Hughes, Cabinet member with responsibility for environmental services, said: “We are aware of this ongoing problem and have visited the Wolfwood charity shop to start investigations into who is responsible.“Whilst many people are leaving useful donations in good faith, there appears to be others who are simply using the location as a place to dump items which are neither useful or wanted by the Wolfwood charity. Either way, leaving items outside a shop when it is closed constitutes the illegal activity of fly-tipping and we are determined to track the culprits down and issue them with a £400 fixed penalty notice. “We look forward to working with Wolfwood and those living locally who have become tired of the daily eyesore, to put an end to this unwanted, unsightly and costly behaviour.“We would urge anyone who can offer information as to who might be responsible for fly-tipping outside this shop or anywhere else in the district, to contact us to report what you have seen.”An online reporting form can be found at www.lancaster.gov.uk/fly-tipping or call Customer Services on 01524 582491. All information is treated confidentially.”*Lancaster City Council has released CCTV footage of two men they wish to speak to in connection with a fly-tipping incident at Wolfwood.