A heap of commercial waste dumped on a section of the Ridgeway near Swindon has been removed by the council.

Ice cream freezers and other big shop fittings were reported on the National Trail last month among the hedgerows.

They were removed by Swindon Borough Council on August 5 and disposed of properly.(Image: Russell Holland/Michael Ward)

Gary Sumner, ward councillor for Ridgeway, said: “It's just disgusting that somebody's obviously clearing out a shop, possibly paid somebody to remove the rubbish, and it’s ended up in beautiful countryside in the summer holidays.”

“A lot of people will be coming down to the area, walking the Ridgeway, and it's not a good advert for our town.”(Image: Russell Holland/Michael Ward)

A council spokesperson suggested the waste would have been taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre in Cheney Manor Industrial Estate.

There it would have been disposed of along with other freezers and fridges that were taken there directly.

Swindon Borough Council's website advises: “Fly-tipping is not only a criminal offence, it is a blight on our environment and a hazard to local wildlife.

"Fly-tipping is also extremely costly to tidy up. On average per annum we spend over £200k both collecting and enforcing fly-tipping, diverting much-needed funds away from other priority areas.”