More than 400 lorry loads removed from illegal dump

More than 400 lorry loads of waste dumped illegally next to a river in Oxfordshire last year has been removed, the Environment Agency (EA) has said.

A £7.3m EA operation to remove the mixed domestic and commercial rubbish is currently underway at the site between the River Cherwell and the A34 near Kidlington.

Cherwell District Council said it was "pleased to see the large amount of progress" that had been made, and that the "majority of the waste has now been removed".

It comes more than six months after the 21,000 tonne dump in the Oxfordshire countryside was first uncovered - leading to national condemnation.

Contractors working on behalf of the EA first began removing rubbish from the site in April, and is expected to take about six months to complete.

Providing an update on the removal, Cherwell District Council said the EA remained "on track to complete their work on schedule".

It added that local councillors, including the authority's new leader Lesley McLean, had visited the site earlier this week to receive an update on the project.

When the dump first hit headlines in November, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the 150m (490ft)-long pile as "appalling" and said a criminal investigation was underway.

The government then said an "exceptional decision" had been made to clear the site due to the risk of fire.

At its largest, the waste, including tyres, shredded plastic and household rubbish, had covered about 8,000 sq m (two acres) - an area bigger than a football pitch.

So far, four men have been arrested in connection with the illegal waste tip. All have since been released while the investigation continues.

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