Eyesore for neighbours as car and rubbish dumped

An abandoned car with crass graffiti daubed across it has been dumped in a neighbourhood already blighted by fly-tipping.

A Vauxhall Corsa has been left on a grass verge on the side of North Walsham Road, in Sprowston, for nearly a week with a crude comment sprayed on the windscreen of the vehicle with pink paint.

Neighbours have also reported alcohol bottles dumped nearby and other rubbish being left on the adjacent Barkers Lane near to the Vauxhall.

An abandoned car wheel left on Barkers Lane in Sprowston (Image: Archant)

Town councillor Bill Couzens said, from his previous experiences, the issue of abandoned vehicles can prove complicated at times.

He said: "Before I was on Sprowston Town Council at previous places I lived, there were circumstances where it was very difficult if the vehicle in question is taxed and has MOT.

"Nothing can be done if it is the case and it is then down to the police and Broadland District Council to remove it.

"These things do take time to clear unless they are in a place where it is causing obstruction."

Someone from Broadland Council will be inspecting the car on Wednesday afternoon.

In situations where the fly-tipping is on private land, the district council will advise the landowner without being able to remove it.

Broadland district councillor for Sprowston, Natasha Harpley, said: "Sadly fly-tipping is on the rise in many areas and has been for some time.

"We urge people to keep reporting it to the council, although they will only collect it on public land and not in someone's private land."

Discarded alcohol bottles were reported to the district council after being spotted by a neighbour in Barkers Lane on Tuesday (Image: Archant)

Councillors had also been made aware of a campervan which had been left near the Sprowston Manor Hotel in Wroxham Road, which was reported to Ms Harpley.

Broadland District Council had been taking a lenient throughout the pandemic over those living in vehicles with the campervan in question on land owned by Highways England.

The council will investigate cases where someone has witnessed an incident of fly-tipping, or there is evidence to suggest where the waste has come from, or who has dumped it.

People can report fly-tipping to Broadland using an online form on the district council's website at secure.broadland.gov.uk/outreach_lcp/FlyTipping.ofml