Dead squirrels found dumped in roadside ditch near Mersea

Edward Lee conducts weekly rubbish collections along the B1026 between his home village of Peldon and Great Wigborough.

He usually fills half a black bag with fast food wrappers, drink cans and bottles and bags of dog mess.

But on Thursday, he came across dozens of dead rodents which had been abandoned in a ditch.

Mr Lee, 64, said: “I was on my walk when I came across them.

“To be honest, it was pretty revolting.

“I have been doing the walk and picking up the litter for a couple of years.

“This is the first time I have seen something like this.

“Usually it is pretty standard items but I have found a catheter which had been dumped before.

“Who knows how they got there?

“There were far too many of them to have been hit by a car.

“It looks like there has been some sort of cull by a landowner or in a wood and they have just been left there.”

Mr Lee reported the matter to Essex Highways for a specialist collection and was told it would be picked up with 48 hours.

He added: “As you can imagine, it was pretty disgusting with the sun on them.

“The flies - the bluebottles - were all over them.”

Mr Lee said it would not deter him picking up litter and he hoped his actions would inspire youngsters.

“I have done it since I retired,” he said.

“In some ways, I know full well that it is futile.

“I walk a kilometre along the road where the tourists drive down to Mersea so it is quite busy.

“Sometimes I go out and then just a couple of hours later find more stuff has been thrown.

“But I always think if one young person sees me with the bag and the picker and I inspire them not to drop something then it is worth it.

“It is probably too late to do anything with adults - if they are doing it then they are likely to carry on.

“Littering is a real problem in this country.

“I just want to keep doing my bit.”