Fly-tippers are putting lives at risk.

That’s the view of people living in the Holcombe Road area of Chatham who are fed up with rubbish being dumped in an alley behind their homes. The area has become a unofficial tip and a target for fire bugs.

Firefighters have been called out eight times over the past year, having to work fast to stop flames spreading to garden fences and sheds.

Carron Bowen and neighbour Andy Roberts are urging the council to take action.

Mother-of-three Carron, 51, said: “It’s just beyond a joke. We are sick to death of it.

“We have complained to the council many times and until now it has only been cleared once.

“Sometimes the fires have been really fierce. The flames have even burnt our fences and sheds.

“I know it’s difficult to stop people dumping rubbish, but perhaps we could get gates put up to stop people getting into the alley.

“It’s too dangerous to let my children play out there. I think the council should do more and get it cleaned out on a regular basis.”

But Medway Council says the land is privately owned.

A spokesman said: “This is a private alley and as such the council is not responsible for clearing it.

“However, we will be making contact with residents to look into the possibility of installing locked alley gates to minimise the risk of the alley being targeted by fly-tippers, as well as the possibility of organising a community clean-up day.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service says it has attended deliberate fires in that area at least eight times since January 2007.