A pile of tyres and rubbish that had been dumped at the entrance of a business in Chilmington last month has been torched.

The waste, which included more than 30 tyres, a mattress, sofa, rubble and a TV set, was reported to the Kentish Express by Shadoxhurst resident Ted Relf in early April.

However, an even uglier scene has now been left in the entrance to the Cemex Quarry, in Mock Lane, after the pile was set alight and burnt to ashes.

An un-named spokesman from the quarry, which produces cement, said: “It is a real mess up there. The depot was recently closed for a week, and it happened some time during that period.

“There is a problem of anti-social behaviour and crime in this area and I know we aren’t the only business that is targeted.

“Our management team often reports rubbish and fly-tipping to the police and Ashford Borough Council, but nothing ever changes.”

Mr Relf, who noticed the burnt-out state of the waste last week, added: “It also looks like more has been dumped since then, including a fridge freezer.

“Fly-tipping is a crime in my eyes. This is an ongoing issue in the area.

“Maybe some people see this as a cheaper way of disposing of rubbish.”

The quarry spokesman added: “You name it, we’ve had it dumped here. We’ve even had a boat abandoned here.

“It is a frustrating situation. When I first started here 20 years ago, there was a nice entrance with gates and trees, now it is a mess.”

An Ashford council spokesman said: “Unfortunately, we were unable to remove the waste in question as it was dumped on private land.

“We will continue to work with the landowner on this issue.

“Ashford council has a duty of care to remove waste dumped on public land, but this does not extend to waste left on private land.

“The Environment Agency can offer advice on alternative commercial waste contractors who are licensed to deal with this type of fly-tipping.

“The fly-tipping of waste is illegal, and the council work closely with other organisations including Kent County Council, Trading Standards, the Environment Agency and police to ensure those responsible for fly-tipping are dealt with.

“As ever, we would encourage anyone who has witnessed a fly- tipping incident to report it via our webpage at www.ashford.gov.uk/report”