"We will tackle Dorset’s fly-tipping hotspots," police and council officials have vowed.

Police and crime commissioner Martyn Underhill has teamed up with bosses at the Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP) to tackle the “blight”.

As reported in the Dorset Echo, fly-tipping costs thousands in environmental damage and clean-up costs. 

The number of cases recorded in Dorset increased by 19 per cent in the year 2016 to 2017, with a total of 2,630 incidents reported.

Dorset County Council introduced charges for disposing of specific household goods at household recycling centres in September 2016, which may have had an effect on the amount of rubbish which is illegally dumped.

In October we reported how a group of young climbers were put in danger when a fridge was thrown over a cliff on Portland.

Mr Underhill said: “Fly-tipping has become more and more of an issue for the people of Dorset.

“We’re now working together with the Dorset Waste Partnership to try and find a way of dealing with this. 

“Local authorities don’t have the money and it’s not a policing issue, but it increases fear of crime and it’s antisocial.”

The problem is particularly bad in the countryside, featuring highly in surveys undertaken by the National Farmers’ Union and Dorset Police’s rural crime team, Mr Underhill said.

“Superintendent Jared Parkin and I recently met with representatives from business improvement district across Dorset, and every single one told us it’s a priority for them,” he added.

“This is a chance to reduce this blight.”

Cllr Kevin Brookes, Mayor of Weymouth and Portland, said agencies working together to tackle the issue can "only be a good thing."

He said: "In some parts of Dorset fly-tipping is quite an issue.

"A lot of fly tipping is done down country lanes and on farmer's driveways – rural areas are targeted purely and simply because there's probably nobody around to see it. Help from other agencies makes it all the more better as far as I'm concerned. 

"We've all got a pair of eyes and it's important that we all chip in and do our bit." 

Cllr Tony Alford, chairman of the DWP joint committee, said:

“Our enforcement team recently began early discussions with Dorset Police and their rural crime unit on how we can work together to crack down on fly-tipping across the county.

"By sharing intelligence and resources, we hope to start using various enforcement measures to deal with those responsible, especially illegal operators who offer services to move waste without the proper licensing in place. 

"We are also looking to target specific fly-tipping hotspots and work with the public to encourage the reporting of suspicious behaviour.

"We’re very much looking forward to working more closely with Dorset Police.

"Together we feel we can make a positive impact on this anti-social and illegal activity."