Work begins to clear one of Britain's biggest ever fly tips: Bulldozers move 21,000 tons of illegally dumped rubbish plaguing countryside

A multi-million-pound operation has begun to clear up one of Britain's biggest ever fly-tips near the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire. 

The 500ft-long trail of rubbish in a field alongside the A34 in Kidlington prompted widespread outrage and a criminal investigation.

Now 15 to 30 lorry loads of rubbish will be removed each day in a £7.3million operation expected to last around six months.

The work, led by the Environment Agency and carried out by Acumen Waste Services Ltd, will involve digging up and shifting 21,000 tons of waste, including tyres, shredded plastic and household rubbish from the illegal dumping site which covers 86,000 square feet - an area bigger than Wembley Stadium.

The Environment Agency first attended the scene of the illegal tip in July 2025, issuing a cease and desist letter to stop further tipping.

When officers became aware of more dumping in October, the EA applied for and secured a court order to close down the site and said no further waste had been tipped since then.

There were concerns that pollution from the tip could spill into the nearby River Cherwell, prompting officials to install protective barriers to protect the waterway.

The agency launched a criminal investigation, with four people arrested.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously said he was 'appalled' by the mountain of waste, urging a speedy clear up of the illegal site, and the Environment Agency has been working since November on efforts to remove and dispose of the rubbish.

Anna Burns, Environment Agency area director for Thames, said: 'Today marks a major step in clearing the Kidlington site and restoring the area for local people.

'We are working to remove this waste as quickly as possible while continuing our investigation to bring those responsible to justice.

'Waste criminals should be in no doubt - this type of crime will not go unpunished.'

Councillor Liz Leffman, leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said a 'huge amount of planning and preparation' between agencies had taken place to deal with the site.

'It is a relief to everyone to see work begin in earnest to get this eyesore removed,' she said.

'We all look forward to the day when all the waste has been removed and this corner of Oxfordshire can be restored to normality for people and wildlife alike.'

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: 'The illegal waste dump in Kidlington is disgraceful. I have seen the immense scale of the site, which I am proud to say the Government is now clearing up.

'There has already been significant progress, with four arrests made in connection to the site.

'Our wider Waste Crime Action Plan is cracking down on waste criminals by giving the Environment Agency new police-style powers and using new technology, like specialised drones, to prevent this criminality in the future.'

The expected £7.3million cost of the operation to clear the Cherwell site is being funded by the Environment Agency, although officials said they will pursue those responsible for the money as their investigation develops.

The Government has also pledged to fund the clear up of some other major illegal waste sties, with on-site feasibility assessments at Bolton House Road in Wigan, where 18,000 tons of waste was dumped, and a stretch of land in Hyndburn, Lancashire, where 10,000 tons has been left.

An assessment will also take place for clearing an industrial site in Sheffield where 20,000 tons of waste was dumped, officials said last month.

There were more than 1.2million incidents of fly-tipping in England in 2024-25 - a 10 per cent increase on the year.

Criminals can make large profits by charging to collect waste before illegally dumping it on public land without paying landfill tax, which now stands at £126.15 per ton.

While some offenders are fined, experts fear the money on offer means financial penalties are seen merely as a 'cost of doing business'.

Ministers are planning to give courts powers to punish criminals convicted of illegal dumping by adding penalty points to their licence, the Daily Mail revealed last month.

Ministers hope offenders will be deterred by the threat of having their vehicles seized, and that serial fly-tippers will find it harder to operate without a vehicle.