DUMPED Asda trolleys have been causing an unsightly mess around Basildon, and the mayor reported seeing more than 40 in one day.

David Burton-Sampson said it has been an ongoing problem for some time but fears that the easing of lockdown has seen the problem escalate further.

He tweeted Asda saying it was “outrageous” and “beyond a joke”, and urged them to take responsibility for the runaway trolleys.

The councillor, representing St Martins ward, also urged residents to take more care of their community.

Echo:

Unsightly - one of many trolleys that the Mayor stumbled across

He told the Echo: “This has to stop, it really does – it’s appalling.

“I see dumped trolleys all the time, all around the town which is really frustrating.

“However, what’s really quite upsetting is that since lockdown has eased the amount of trolleys seems to have escalated and there’s significantly more now all over the place.

“I was quite shocked – I was just in Ghyllgrove which is a third of my ward, maybe a little bit less, and I came across more than 40 trolleys.

“I know this is replicated across many of the wards that are within walking distance of both the Asda stores.

“This is unacceptable on two levels – it’s unacceptable that residents think it’s okay to take trolleys, which is theft, but then to just dump them on their community creating an unsightly mess in their local area is equally unacceptable.

“My view as well is that Asda also have a responsibility – they should be doing everything they can to stop this happening, and surely it must be costing them an absolute fortune.”

Echo:

Basildon resident, Patsy McGiver, 61, of Whitmore Way, said: “It’s such a shame seeing not just trolleys being dumped, but people’s rubbish and stuff they don’t want. It’s disgusting.

“And with the trolleys, you have to put a coin in to get one so the fact people would rather lose their pound because they are too lazy and then take the trolley and dump it afterwards just isn’t on.

“The people of Basildon need to be looking after where they live and show that they are proud of it, instead of disrespecting it.”

A spokesman for Asda, said: ‘’All of our trolleys are coin-operated and we know that the majority of our customers look after our trolleys.

“If anyone does happen to spot one of our trolleys anywhere they shouldn’t be they can let us know by calling 01926 455378 or by downloading the Trolleywise App so the trolley can be collected as soon as possible.’’