Leaking barrels flytipped in Haven Road, Colchester

Colchester Council says it has seen three incidents in recent weeks, with all three barrels discarded near Haven Road, Colchester.

The barrels are expensive to remove and have had to be picked up by a special contractor, costing taxpayers about £2,000 a time.

A Colchester Council spokesperson said: “The three barrels were all found to be leaking an unknown substance.

"Due to the appearance of the drums it would have been unsafe to sample and leave them in situ, we therefore worked with a contractor to take the barrels to a safe environment for full assessment and subsequent safe disposal, at cost to the council."

Cameras are set to be installed in the area to try and catch the culprits.

Read more:

• Emson Haig to open shop in old Oasis unit in Colchester High Street
• Kingsland Road in West Mersea closed after bungalow fire
• Drivers face 7 mile diversion as Boxted Bridge closes from July 5

Simon Crow, councillor responsible for environment and sustainability, added: “Fly tipping is unsightly, illegal, harmful to the environment, and in this case potentially very dangerous.

"Not only that, but to ensure we protect residents and our environment by disposing of them in a safe manner, they have cost a significant amount of money to remove.

"There are no excuses for not disposing of waste in the correct way, and we will continue to work to catch those responsible and deter fly tipping across the borough.”