ILLEGAL rubbish dumping is proving to be a huge problem all around north and west Wiltshire.

Rubbish is often dumped by the side of country lanes where the offenders can empty out their cars or vans without being seen.

County Councillor Nancy Bryant has had rubbish dumped near her farm at Mile End, Calne, for over 20 years.

She said: "At the moment there are black bags of rubbish and a broken windscreen at the side of the road.

"If there is a quiet country lane they think it is an ideal place to dump rubbish.

"I don't understand how their brains work.

"There are recycling centres where they can go just as easily and it doesn't cost them anything."

In 2001 the Wiltshire Times ran a Don't Dump It campaign and encourage people to get rid of their rubbish in an environmentally friendly and legal way.

Campaigns to to educate people and to catch those who dump rubbish have been run by various organisations from West Wiltshire District Council and the Environment Agency to anti-litter pressure groups.

But there are still bags full of rubbish, as well as larger items such as fridges and old sofas, being dumped at the roadside throughout the area.

At a lane between the former St John's Hospital in Semington and Whaddon Lane a car has been dumped by the roadside, near a huge pile of rubbish which has built up in just two weeks.

Removing illegally dumped waste costs West Wiltshire District Council over £20,000 a year.

Council spokesman Louise Knox said: "It is very frustrating because if they can get in their cars to drive it to Warminster Common they can surely take it to the dump."

People living near Warminster Common, a magnet for flytippers in the area, have banded together to clear up what they can themselves.

Each year the Warminster Open Spaces Protection Committee organises a spring clean of the area, which is due to be held on February 8.

Nigel Linge from the committee said: "We have found that if you keep it looking tolerably clean flytipping isn't such a problem."

Items dumped on the common have ranged from small pieces of litter to a three-piece suite and a burnt out car.

Mr Linge said: "If you have got the rubbish in your car, you might as well go to the tip and you won't then be facing a huge fine."

Dumping waste can be punished by fines of up to £20,000 under the Environmental Protection Act.

Prosecutions can be brought by the police, the Environment Agency and local councils but it is often hard to find the evidence to bring the guilty to court.

Illegal flytipping can be reported through an Environment Agency hotline on 0800 807060.

It can also be reported to West Wiltshire District Council on (01225) 776655 or North Wiltshire District Council on (01225) 706111.