RESIDENTS fighting against flytippers are living in fear after a woman found a knife blade in her tyre.

The woman told the Echo since the plague began, she can no longer drive or ride her horses in Borwick Lane, Wickford, for fear of punctures or injury.

A 39-year-old told the Echo that she drives down Borwick Lane, Wickford, and used to ride her horses down there before the ongoing flytipping issue began - which has plagued the lane for years.

The resident now has to avoid riding her horses down the lane, for a fear of injury.

Basildon Council is investigating the issue and stated it is aware of “persistent and illegal” flytipping in the area.

The 39-year-old woman, who asked not to be named, said: “Not only is it extremely unsightly and harmful to the environment, we are getting punctures and I can’t even ride the horses along the lane in case they get something in their hooves.

“One of the ladies I know who drives along there found a pen and a knife blade in her tyre after going down the road.

“We’ve found glass, plaster, mixed wood, bathroom appliances, a carpet underlay and more.

“Debris is absolutely everywhere and because it’s a single-track road if another car comes, there is nowhere to pull over without going into the rubble.

“Four people I know have had punctures in their tyres in the past week.

“There was another incident about six weeks ago now, when I drove down there about 2pm and left at 4pm.

“Within that time, mounds of blue rubbish bags filled with soil were dumped down there - only two hours.

“It’s always happened periodically over the last 20 years but over the last year it is constant and within the last six months it’s the worst we’ve seen.

“This is an ongoing issue now, which is getting worse over time.

“As soon as one lot of the rubbish is cleared by the council, who try their best to get rid of it, another lot is dumped.

“They just know they’re able to do it and think they can get away with it.

“They’ve even nicked the two cameras which the council put in place to find out who it is, which are big and attached to a large solar panel; one was by the layby and another was opposite pointing down the road.”

A Basildon Council spokesman said: “We are aware of a persistent and criminal element undertaking flytipping at this location.

“This is subject to a number of ongoing investigations.

“We are continuing to arrange clearance, but if any residents have any information as to who is undertaking the flytipping, they can report it to us in confidence and this may assist our enquiries.

“We urge all householders to only use registered waste carriers who can evidence where their waste is going, and to pay by bank transfer only.”

He warned: “If somebody offers you a price to clear your waste that is too good to be true, and will only accept cash, then your waste may be taken and flytipped, and you may be held responsible for this.”