A LEADING borough councillor has promised action after flytippers dumped a car engine, a telegraph pole and other rubbish yards from a church.

Labour councillor Tim Young says he will ask council staff to shift debris from a car park in White Thorn Close, near Greenstead: St Andrew Church, Colchester.

Mr Young, who has responsibility for street and waste services in the borough, said the council would foot the bill this time, but in future the church might have to pay for rubbish to be moved from the site as it owned the land.

He added: “We need to make sure the rubbish is removed as soon as possible, so it doesn’t become a hotspot for people to dump rubbish.

“I have asked the council to clear it up and,hopefully, the church can keep an eye on it in future and maybe remove any rubbish itself, if it happens again.”

Mr Young said the area was in danger of becoming a “magnet” for flytippers if rubbish was allowed to remain and fester.

He explained: “We need to take action now. Otherwise, it will just attract more of the same.

“There’s no point in waiting around. We need to get it removed immediately.”

Team vicar for the parish, the Rev Hilary Le Seve, said: “It’s unsightly and unsafe.

“I’m glad councillor Young is taking action, which he did as soon as I alerted him to the problem. Sometimes, it is not always clear who to contact when things like this happen.”

To report problems with flytipping, call the council, on 01206 282700.