A PATCH of private land has been labelled as a 'disgrace' due to the amount of rubbish dumped on it.
The land, at the back of Diamond Street behind the High Street in Wombwell, has been a target for fly-tippers for years and, among other things, is strewn with mattresses and household appliances.
In the past fencing has been erected in an attempt to keep dumpers out but this was ineffective as it was simply pushed over.
As it's privately owned, the council cannot clear up and secure the site as easily as public land, but Cllr Dick Wraith said more should be done to put pressure on the landlord.
He said: "It's very frustrating. I've asked a number of times for the council to write to the owner but nothing seems to have been done.
"The problem is, if the rubbish is left there, more people will see it and think they can dump their stuff there too."
Catherine Potter, of Potter's butcher's shop on High Street, said she thought the land was a 'disgrace to the area' and caused security and health issues for the shop.
"It's disgusting that people are are prepared to dump stuff there but someone needs to get to the bottom of it," Catherine said. "It's going to attract vermin and is an eyesore, the landlord should take some responsibility."
Council spokesman Coun Roy Miller said: "While we appreciate the impact that fly tipping on private land and property can have on the immediate vicinity, we have limited powers at our disposal unless the tipping is having a demonstrable effect, such as attracting rats, polluting water, spilling onto other land, and so on.
"We can enforce clean up action if this is the case. Otherwise, the onus remains on the landowner to take action to secure their sites and remove the waste, although we're always happy to advise them as to their responsibilities and how to make their site safe."
