PLASTIC guttering, wood and pipes were illegally dumped blocking a rural road in Witham. 

The mess was flytipped in Howbridge Hall Road last week with Braintree Council launching an investigation into the incident. 

The waste blocked the road for vehicle users trying to get through and the council’s Street Scene Protection Officers visited the location to investigate the offence.

Pictures of the waste show items such as  pipes, plastic guttering, bags, pieces of wood, and an assortment of bits of rubbish.

Braintree and Witham Times: Found - The illegally dumped rubbish in Howbridge Hall RoadFound - The illegally dumped rubbish in Howbridge Hall Road (Image: Braintree Council)

The rubbish was moved to the side of the road by a member of the public, so road users could access their properties.

After initially attending the scene, the council’s Street Scene Response Team returned to the location the following day and it has now been cleared.

However, the council has taken to social media to ask for anyone with further information about this incident to come forward.

In a Facebook post the council has stated they are reviewing some possible evidence but they would like more information so they can find the culprits that committed this crime so they can be brought to justice in court.

Braintree and Witham Times: Awful - A close-up of the dumped rubbishAwful - A close-up of the dumped rubbish (Image: Braintree Council)

Braintree and Witham Times: Pile - The rubbish was kindly moved to the side of the road by a local resident so road users could get pastPile - The rubbish was kindly moved to the side of the road by a local resident so road users could get past (Image: Braintree Council)

Tom Cunningham, the council's environment boss said: "We are very grateful to our residents who reported this flytipping incident to us, so we could act quickly and start our investigations.

"We have a zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping in our district and we will always respond to reports received within 24 hours to remove the waste.

"Our Streetscene Protection Team will investigate every report received in an effort to identify the perpetrator/s who illegally deposit waste and will take enforcement action including issuing fixed penalty notices and prosecuting as appropriate against those who have no respect for the environment.”  

If you saw something suspicious in connection to this incident, you can contactStreetscene.enforcement@braintree.gov.uk or call the Customer Service Centre on 01376 552525.