Work has started to clear 30 tonnes of rubbish left by travellers on a field near a church in Laindon.

Basildon Council staff and contractors are working to clear waste from land in St Nicholas Lane, adjoining St Nicholas Church.

Clearance work is currently taking place and it is hoped the work will be completed by the end of the day.

Gary Edwards, head of street scene and leisure services for Basildon Council, said: “The amount of waste left behind in St Nicholas Lane, totalling between 30 and 40 tonnes, is among the worst fly-tipping incidents we have known in the borough.

“Fly-tipping is an environmental crime and dumping on this scale will take significant time and resources to clear.

“Basildon Council officers are on site today, assisted by contractors, to remove the bulk of the fly-tipped waste from the land.

“The operation to clear the site is likely to cost between £6,000 and £7,000 of public money, which the council would far rather be spending on other things.

“Residents have already rightly expressed their outrage and we will explore all legal avenues in order to take appropriate steps against the perpetrators.”