The county of Kent is aptly named “The Garden of England”, with its beautiful scenery, delightful walks, green meadows, rolling hills, country lanes, forests and woods, but the lovely countryside of this county is under serious threat.

The beauty of its many areas has been marred deliberately, and have all succumbed to the illegal and disgraceful scourge of the county, the fly-tippers, who continue without let-up to blight the countryside by dumping a vast array of rubbish in any, and every spot they can find.

The tons of dumped items are endless; fridges, settees, microwaves, chairs, cookers, tyres, car batteries, old cars, building materials, and hundreds of waste bags...whatever they feel the need to get rid of, is dumped.

The fly-tippers use any place they can find to dump their rubbish, their nocturnal missions are favourite as they are less likely to be seen and reported, so late night excursions and early mornings are the best time, when they literally hurl the rubbish out of their vehicles, then speed away unseen.

The Council has many selected areas that are provided, where all kinds of refuse can be taken and disposed of in a sensible and respectable manner.

Those in power will prosecute without question anyone caught, as there is no excuse for anyone to dump their rubbish in the countryside, when these Council Depots are available to everyone.

The Kent County Council spends literally tens of thousands of pounds every year of tax payers money in keeping the countryside clear, and clean of items that are deliberately dumped by fly-tippers. The council employs its countless workers to collect this waste from many areas of outstanding beauty, and from areas that are hidden away down country lanes, or in woods.

The unscrupulous fly-tippers are endangering not only youngsters who may play around with these very dangerous items; Hazardous Waste, Syringes, Acid in Car Batteries, Broken Glass, Asbestos, and Toxic Chemicals, but anyone who comes in contact with it.

It could well lead to serious health risks, and possibly death.

These very irresponsible actions will eventually lead to their prosecution, as residents in these hidden away areas are now keeping a constant and vigilant watch in their  neighbourhood for illegal dumping by fly-tippers.

When caught they will face the wrath of the Police and the Courts, who now have the power to impose  fines on those prosecuted of up to £50, 000, and an imprisonment term of up to five years...You Have Been Warned...!!!

The Sevenoaks County Council and the Kent County Council, have combined their efforts together in a massive operation called the “ Clean Kent Campaign”, with the support and resources of the Environment Agency, Kent Police, and Kent Fire & Rescue Service, who will assist in the clean up operation to keep the county free of the rubbish that fly-tippers are guilty of dumping.

If you see, or are suspicious of anyone dumping or fly-tipping in your area, these helpful tips will assist the local Police in investigating the problem;

Note down the day and time, the exact location where the rubbish has been dumped...is it near a stream, river, or pond, how many people, what do they look like.

Try and get the vehicle make, model, colour, and more importantly the registration number.

If You See This Happening....Do Not Approach These People...But Ring Your Local Police Immediately, or the “Clean Kent Campaign” Hotline...0845 3450210