DARTMOOR has been hit hard with incidents of fly-tipping and rubbish being dumped at popular tourists spots in the past two weeks.

Dartmoor Rangers expressed their upset last week that people had ‘no respect for the beautiful landscape’ after rubbish was found strewn about at Magpie Bridge in Horrabridge.

This was followed a day later when household waste, including furniture, a cooker and wood, was found dumped at moorland areas between Princetown and Dousland.

The Rangers took to social media last Tuesday (June 2) to exhibit the large piles of rubbish they had discovered at Magpie Bridge (pictured below right).

Simon Lee, Ranger manager, told the Times: ‘Nobody should be lighting fires or leaving rubbish behind — every time this happens, you’re increasing the risk to people, wildlife and moorland habitats. It also puts unnecessary strain on emergency and health services who are all still working to deal with the effects of the pandemic.

‘If you’re planning a visit to Dartmoor, please check the Dartmoor Rangers Facebook page before you come as we’re putting up car park information so you can plan your visit and when you are here, please follow the Countryside Code. Help us to look after this special place and take everything home with you.’

The fly-tipped rubbish was discovered at two Dartmoor sites — Devil’s Elbow and a car park near to Sharpitor — by a local resident who put the pictures of his findings on social media. He said: ‘Where’s the respect for the environment and themselves?’

Cllr Caroline Mott, West Devon Borough Council’s lead member for waste and recycling, expressed thanks to the person who informed them about the fly-tipping incident on Dartmoor. She said: ‘We have arranged with our contractors, FCC Environment, for the fly tips to be cleared. If any members of the public have any information as to the perpetrators of these fly-tips i.e. make and model of vehicle, registration, date and time of fly-tipping we would urge them to report this to us so that we can investigate. If you recognise any of the items in the fly-tip, please let us know by emailing [email protected]

‘Please remember to take your rubbish home to be recycled, if any of our bins are full. We would urge anyone that spots a fly tip to report it using our website. www.westdevon.gov.uk/report’

Crowndale Recycling Centre in Tavistock, and all recycling centres across Devon, accept all the items previously accepted pre-lockdown.

However, the centres do not take small recyclables accepted by kerbside collection services — glass jars, yoghurt pots, milk containers and juice containers.