Dead cats and dogs dumped along with karaoke machine by fly-tippers in Cookstown

Dumpers left rubbish just off the Dungannon-Cookstown Road

Sebastian Graham and his neighbour, Sophie Atkinson decided to clean up their local area after becoming “fed up with the state of the area”.

They have been members of the ‘Adopt a Spot Scheme’ for over a year. After tidying up their local road, they expanded their boundary to include the Old Loughry Road.

This road has been used as a tip for decades for all kinds of rubbish and pollutants.

Household waste dumped on Old Loughry Road

Sebastian and Sophie started this task around July last year. Every few weeks they would gradually remove the rubbish.

Read also - Community sickened after dead horse dumped near Ardboe aerodrome“It has been frustrating as when progress has been made people would simply fill in our work in a matter of seconds,” said Sebastian.

“After a year we can say we have moved the vast majority of rubbish from the site which has been sent to Cookstown recycling centre.

“The rubbish has been separated from recyclable, non-recyclable, glass, plastics and scrap metal.

Flytipping on the outskirts of Cookstown.

“Most of the materials that were tipped have been recycled which shows the value of the local amenities in Cookstown.”

Overall 54 bags of non-recyclable rubbish was lifted, 21 bags of recyclable rubbish, 20 crates of glass bottles (well over 400 bottles), eight bags of plastic bottles and four bags of aluminium cans.

Some of the more shocking items included; three television’s, one karaoke machine, 38 guttering pipes, five strimmers, eight car bumpers, three car windscreens, 27 paint tins, 14 tyres, 17 pairs of shoes/boots, 12 hub caps, seven carpets and three ceramic sinks.

Unfortunately a number of other finds included drug paraphernalia, two dead cats and two dead dogs.

Sebastian said: “Thanks must go to the team at the recycling centre, Marcus Blemmings - Enforcement and Neighbourhood Officer and all workers who go out and clean the streets.

“They are the real unsung heroes of the country.

“It is important for people to take pride in their local area and protect it for the future.

“This is especially so due to the current financial circumstances.

“People must step up and be seen in their neighbourhood in order to stop fly tipping and to meet who lives in their area. This will create a closer knit society and also reduce rubbish that is blighting the countryside.”