Fly-tipping incidents in England have reached a record high of 1.15 million in 2023/24, according to new government figures.

This represents a six per cent increase from the 1.08 million incidents reported the previous year.

Data from the Environment Department (Defra) shows that 60 per cent of cases involved household waste, with 688,000 incidents of illegally dumped rubbish from homes.

The figures mark the highest level in six years.

Farmers and landowners often bear the cost of removing the wastePA

The most common place for fly-tipping was on pavements and roads, accounting for 37 per cent of incidents.

Nearly a third (31 per cent) of incidents were the size of a small van load, while 28 per cent were equivalent to a car boot or less.

However, four per cent were tipper lorry load size or larger, costing local authorities £13.1million to clean up.

This represents an 11 per cent increase in large-scale incidents from the previous year.

The most common place for fly-tipping was on the sides of roads

Environment Secretary Steve Reed described fly-tipping as "a disgraceful act which trashes communities and its increase is unacceptable".

"Communities and businesses shouldn't have to put up with these crimes," he said.

Reed pledged the Government will "crack down on fly-tipping and punish rubbish dumpers, forcing them to clean up their mess".

He added that the new Crime and Policing Bill will give ministers power to issue statutory guidance to councils to drive up enforcement.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed described fly-tipping as 'a disgraceful act which trashes communities and its increase is unacceptable'

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, called the statistics "a tragedy".

"This six per cent increase in incidents dealt with by local authorities – taking the total to a whopping 1.15 million – is frightening and shameful," she said.

The Local Government Association urged the Government to review sentencing guidelines for fly-tipping.

They called for "bigger fines for more serious offences to act as a deterrent".