A 39-year-old man from the Guildford area has been arrested in connection with the illegal dumping of a mountain of waste by the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire. The arrest was made by the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit, and the suspect is currently being questioned.
The waste, described as a 'mountain', was dumped in a field alongside the river near Kidlington. Campaigners recently brought the scale of the dumping to light by posting images online. Local MP Calum Miller has urged the government to issue an urgent directive for the clearance of the site, warning of potential irreparable damage to the river.
The Environment Agency (EA) is leading the criminal investigation. Anna Burns, the agency's area director for the Thames, stated: 'The appalling illegal waste dump in Kidlington has rightly provoked outrage. We have been working round the clock with the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit to bring the perpetrators to justice. Our investigative efforts have secured an arrest today, which will be the first step in delivering justice for residents and punishing those responsible.'
Suspicions of illegal dumping at the 1.2-hectare site were first raised in the summer. In July, the EA sent a cease and desist letter to the landowner, but satellite images indicate that the vast amount of waste was dumped in September. The EA obtained a court order to close the site on 23 October after continued activity was detected.
Last week, EA officials visited the field and agreed a plan to deploy additional protective barriers to prevent waste from polluting the River Cherwell, particularly during heavy rainfall or flooding. The EA said they will work with urgency to implement these measures.
