People dumping ‘donations’ outside a city charity shop have been warned they could be prosecuted for fly-tipping.

Bags containing soiled underwear, birth control pills and household waste were left outside Oxfam in Canterbury on two separate days at the weekend.

Deputy manager Arlene Rae says “selfish” people are treating the shop in Best Lane as a “waste disposal”, with an old fridge and a “rotting” double bed among the other items ‘donated’ this year.

This is despite a sign on the door warning people that anything left outside will be reported to the council as fly-tipping.

On Friday, she arrived at the store to find a member of the public “ransacking” bags that had been dropped at the door - their contents strewn across the pavement.

Hard-working volunteers had to clear the mess, pushing back the store’s opening hours.

Ms Rae says clearing unsanitary items poses a risk to volunteers, many of whom are vulnerable adults.

“We had to bin pretty much all of it, because half of it was rubbish and half of it was peed on and wet from the rain,” she added.

On Sunday, Ms Rae was working late in the shop when she found herself barricaded in by yet more bags that were dumped outside at about 7pm.

She said that while the pile appeared “neat”, had it been left overnight it “would have been strewn halfway down Best Lane”.

“This is on the increase, and we’re not the only charity affected by this,” she said.

“It’s not always genuine donations. Sometimes it’s literally rubbish, in the guise of donations.”

Ms Rae says fly-tipping began increasing during lockdown, when charity shops - along with rubbish tips - were closed.

“The public need to be aware that such dumping is viewed as fly-tipping, which is an offence, and inconsiderate,” she said.

“There are those who ransack apparently abandoned bags and leave an unsightly mess, which can in fact pose a health and safety risk.

“As a community, we need to look after each other and be accountable, and most definitely cannot tolerate fly tipping, as it defaces our lovely city.”

Ms Rae stresses that the shop is grateful for genuine donations. But she urges people to only drop off items during opening hours, handing them to staff instead of leaving them outside.

Rachael Cosgrove-Pearce, head of retail Operations for Oxfam, added: “We are extremely grateful for donations, however we ask that people refrain from leaving them outside shops when they are closed as they risk being damaged.

"Donations to our shops raise thousands of pounds for Oxfam’s work fighting poverty around the world but items which are damaged cannot be sold or recycled.

"People can call their local shop in advance to find out their opening hours, or, if they are unable to visit the shop, they can request a free postal donations bag for clothing online.”