A COUNCIL has removed 20 tonnes of fly tipping.

Braintree Council removed the large area of wood chippings from the Flitch Way by the bridge on Fentons Road.

A team of four worked for six hours to remove 20 tonnes, using two tractors, trailers and a digger.

The council believe the chippings could have been there for as long as a year.

A spokesperson from the council said: "Our street scene team removed 20 tonnes of wood chippings from the Flitch Way by the bridge on Fentons Road.

"It took a team of four working six hours each to remove the fly tip using two tractors and trailers and one digger.

"We suspect the wood chippings had been dumped by a vehicle and were probably there for about a year before they were reported to us by an Essex County Council ranger in March this year.

"Essex County Council have closed access and secured the area, so hopefully this should not happen again.

"We urge residents to ensure anyone they hire to remove waste is a registered waste carrier to prevent fly tipping incidents such as this occurring in our beautiful rural areas.

"If you give your waste to someone else and it’s dumped, you could end up with an unlimited fine and a criminal record. In the case of a small fly tip, you could receive a fixed penalty notice of £400."