Volunteers lifted 96 tyres dumped at Lanark's Castlebank

Tyres dumped in the glen down from Castlebank Park, Lanark, were lifted by volunteers and removed by the council.

They collected 96 tyres for South Lanarkshire Council to take away to a tip.

There is fury locally at this act of fly-tipping, and it is suspected that the culprit might be a tyre business or someone possibly paid by a legitimate business to dispose of the tyres legally only to cut costs by dumping them in the gully instead.

“What kind of people think it’s OK to have such disregard for the environment and their surroundings?” asked one of the volunteers.

“It’s a tough task we don’t want to have to repeat again, considering eight out of nine volunteers are aged between 50 and 75,” said another.

“Whoever dumped these tyres should be brought to task,” said Sylvia Russell, chairman of Lanark Community Development Trust.

“It is appalling, absolutely appalling.

“Our volunteers lifted them, and the council took them away.”

The trust is transforming the park in Lanark, with a new horticultural centre, new flowerbeds and a fairy dell.

Ernest Romer, chairman of Lanark in Bloom, also based at Castlebank, estimated that some of the tyres had been lying in the glen for a wee while.

Praising the volunteers, Clydesdale North councillor Catherine McClymont said she hoped the culprit would be caught soon.

“They make the profit while the council tax payer foots the bill to dispose of them,” she said.

“It was a great effort by the team to recover them.”

And the message to the tippers is: “We are watching out for you and so are the police.”

AAnyone spotting fly-tipping is asked to take the registration number of any vehicles involved and call the police on 101.