A 67-year-old grandfather from Larkfield, Kent, was left shocked after discovering three tonnes of rubbish had been fly-tipped inside his garage. Martyn de Young, a retired IT consultant, had used the lock-up in Raven Close for 30 years without incident, but on Bank Holiday Monday, he found it filled with waste including a sofa, builders' debris, laminate flooring, and Wellington boots.
When Mr de Young reported the incident to Clarion Housing, the garage owner, contractors were sent to clear the mess. However, they mistakenly cleared a tonne of rubbish from a nearby vacant garage instead. After realising the error, they had to return the waste before starting on Mr de Young's garage. So far, only one tonne has been removed, with several more tonnes still to be cleared.
Mr de Young said: 'At first I thought I'd opened the wrong garage door, but it was definitely my garage. It was a bit of a shock, to be honest. I've not had any trouble up until now.' He added that neighbours told him fly-tipping had been ongoing for months, with many other garages also filled with waste. The contents included plaster, wood, glass, a concrete water feature, tins of paint, flat-pack furniture, and a door.
Mr de Young reported the crime to the police but noted there was no specific category for breaking into a garage and filling it with rubbish. He is now waiting to hear from Clarion Housing about when clearing will resume and hopes to retrieve his mobility scooter, which may still be inside. A Clarion Housing spokesperson apologised and confirmed that waste removal has been arranged, new locks will be installed, and CCTV may be introduced to deter future incidents.
