A FARMER who spent all day clearing waste from a public footpath near Pershore was horrified to find a lorry-load of garden cuttings dumped there the next day.

Carl Powell spent hours last Tuesday picking up broken bottles and filthy plastic bags from the entrance to the public right-of-way at Stone Arrow Farm, near Peopleton.

But on Wednesday, the 55-year-old returned to the spot, near Peopleton Wood, to find a truck-load of leylandii cuttings and branches had been dumped across the entrance.

The debris, which included plastic bags and the leather straps used to lash the load to the lorry, had been tipped in front of the gateway, blocking access to the footpath.

Mr Powell's sister, Karina Williams, said he was devastated.

"He was very upset, as you can imagine anyone would be," she said.

"He spent all day out there working away an d it looked beautiful.

"I'm not saying it was anyone in Peopleton, but it looks like someone has paid to have some garden cuttings taken away and they've just dumped it."

Mr Powell and Mrs Williams run the arable farm with their mum Patricia Powell. The walkway runs across

fields and comes out by Peopleton church.

The rubbish had built up over many months and Mr Powell had finally had enough and decided to clear it up.

Using an earth-moving machine, he spent nine hours clearing the area of the mess and overhanging branches.

Louise Warner, waste management officer at Wychavon District Council, said because the rubbish was dumped on private land, the authority could not get involved.

"While Wychavon District Council is against fly-tipping, we only clear rubbish from public land," she said.

"In this instance, the farmer is responsible for getting rid of the rubbish, as it was on his land.

"If it was prejudicial to health, then the Environmental Health Department would be sent out to clear the debris."