0:00:02 > 0:00:05Every day, a never-ending war is being waged across Britain
0:00:05 > 0:00:07to clean up our towns and countryside.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09People just go around and chuck something down.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12They don't look to see if people are watching, they just do it.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16I think punishment should be very strong fines, without question.
0:00:16 > 0:00:21From the tons of cigarette butts, dog's mess and household rubbish,
0:00:21 > 0:00:23to mountains of tyres and skip-loads of builders' waste.
0:00:23 > 0:00:28It's absolutely ridiculous. It's costing thousands of pounds to clear this up.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32If I can pick this stuff up and it's making the area a lot better
0:00:32 > 0:00:35for people to drive round and walk round,
0:00:35 > 0:00:39then I suppose I should take a bit of pride in that, really.
0:00:39 > 0:00:44We're on the frontline of the clear-up and the fight back.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46With the dedicated teams tracking down the rogues
0:00:46 > 0:00:50and putting the "Great" back into Britain.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53You may harm your defence if you fail to mention when questioned
0:00:53 > 0:00:55something which you later rely on in court.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59On today's programme, an English village, a modern day Miss Marple
0:00:59 > 0:01:02and lives blighted by the scandalous behaviour
0:01:02 > 0:01:04of one man with a burning desire.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07My neighbour came rushing back with her two children,
0:01:07 > 0:01:10all gasping and choking, eyes streaming.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12She said, "I don't know what to do
0:01:12 > 0:01:15"if the children have breathed in something toxic."
0:01:15 > 0:01:18And Middlesbrough's local lad on a personal crusade
0:01:18 > 0:01:20to keep his manor spick-and-span.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23It does wind me up, it is a constant battle.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25Just trying to make a difference and clean up.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Welcome to the dirty world of Filthy Rotten Scoundrels.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48First today, I'm taking you to the beautiful Llanwonno Forest
0:01:48 > 0:01:50in the heart of the Welsh valleys.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53This ancient woodland has been used as a backdrop
0:01:53 > 0:01:58for BBC One's Arthurian adventure, Merlin, and you can see why.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Immerse yourself in these wonderful unspoilt surroundings
0:02:01 > 0:02:04and it feels like you've stepped back to medieval times.
0:02:04 > 0:02:10That is, until you come across a 21st-century monstrosity -
0:02:10 > 0:02:12man-made rubbish tips everywhere.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Locals are so outraged
0:02:15 > 0:02:18that many of them volunteer to help clean up the area.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22The problem is here, sometimes it gets so bad
0:02:22 > 0:02:24that you have to clean the roads to get to work
0:02:24 > 0:02:26or to get through the valley sometimes.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28You don't want to drive your car over a pile of glass.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31There are areas where you look down the banking
0:02:31 > 0:02:34and there is just sheer tons of rubbish,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36just dumped all the way down the banking
0:02:36 > 0:02:39and you know it's going to be hard to clean because of the area.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42It's basically too difficult and too expensive to clean it up
0:02:42 > 0:02:44in some cases.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49But the fight for good continues in this ancient woodland.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Meet Jonathan Barratt, who's on a quest to bring down
0:02:52 > 0:02:56the rotten scoundrels defiling his gorgeous countryside.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01It's a beauty spot, it's very well used by mountain bikers,
0:03:01 > 0:03:05walkers, horse-riders and other countryside users.
0:03:05 > 0:03:10The area itself is really one of Outstanding Natural Beauty
0:03:10 > 0:03:15and unfortunately, when you get people coming in and fly-tipping,
0:03:15 > 0:03:18it's ruining the area.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21It's making it unsightly and causing real problems.
0:03:23 > 0:03:24It doesn't take Jonathan long
0:03:24 > 0:03:28to find some particularly offensive material.
0:03:28 > 0:03:29Why anyone thinks it's OK
0:03:29 > 0:03:34to use this Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty as a rubbish tip
0:03:34 > 0:03:35is beyond me.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37What an eyesore!
0:03:41 > 0:03:45But Jonathan's got plenty of tricks up his sleeve
0:03:45 > 0:03:48to track down the rogues who did this.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58One thing we do when we get fresh fly-tipping such as this
0:03:58 > 0:04:01is we'll have a look around and see if we can find anything
0:04:01 > 0:04:03with any identifying marks on it.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06You'd be surprised how many letters we can find
0:04:06 > 0:04:09that will contain people's names and addresses.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10If we can find that,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13that will immediately give us something to start working on.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17So... Typically, here's something here.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21It looks like a small child's homework from school
0:04:21 > 0:04:25but it contains the name of the child and the class they're from.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29From that, it should be quite easy to be able to identify therefore
0:04:29 > 0:04:31where the rubbish has come from.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33If we can do that, it might be we can then find out
0:04:33 > 0:04:36who has actually dumped the rubbish here as well.
0:04:40 > 0:04:41My feeling here is probably
0:04:41 > 0:04:45a lot of this is from somebody who has moved out of a property.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48A landlord will have come along,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50paid someone else to clear the property
0:04:50 > 0:04:53and rather than taking that rubbish to the dump, to the tip,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56they've brought it into the mountainside and dumped it.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05But landlords are still responsible for their rubbish
0:05:05 > 0:05:07and need to be sure it's thrown out responsibly.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11They can be fined if it isn't, and the evidence here is piling up.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19This pile of muck is top of Jonathan's list,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22so he's taking drastic action to sort it out, once and for all.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25This is less Merlin, and more Spooks.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29What we're going to do is do a surveillance operation up here.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32What that will consist of is installing some covert cameras
0:05:32 > 0:05:35that we can literally hide in ditches, in bushes,
0:05:35 > 0:05:36on trees, that sort of thing.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38We'll try to capture some of the vehicles
0:05:38 > 0:05:42and the details of the vehicles that are responsible for the fly-tipping.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45We'll also double that up with some live surveillance on some evenings
0:05:45 > 0:05:50whereby we'll come down here and strategically place some officers.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53They will watch and see if they can, again, see people coming
0:05:53 > 0:05:56and actually dumping the rubbish.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00This sounds like an undercover operation worthy of MI5's best.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04Jonathan's prepared to throw the whole book at whoever did this.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07We want people from anywhere to be able to come
0:06:07 > 0:06:10and enjoy these types of areas
0:06:10 > 0:06:13without having to have their enjoyment spoilt
0:06:13 > 0:06:14by mindless vandalism -
0:06:14 > 0:06:17that's the only word I can possibly use for it - as we see here.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24Well said, Jonathan. But sadly, it's happening across the country,
0:06:24 > 0:06:26which is why Fly-tipping Action Wales
0:06:26 > 0:06:28was formed in 2007.
0:06:28 > 0:06:33It's a Welsh government-funded partnership between local councils,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36the police and environmental groups who work together
0:06:36 > 0:06:39to put a stop to this anti-social behaviour.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41The action group is helping to co-ordinate
0:06:41 > 0:06:44the surveillance at Llanwonno Forest.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46Gary Inight is one of its members
0:06:46 > 0:06:49and has come down to the site to work out their plan.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54You've got some good vantage points here, you can get some good footage.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57Plenty of coverage, we could hide a camera in the tree.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59We've got the banking over here,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01we could hide the box by digging and burying it into the ground.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04- Plenty of places for us to put the camera.- Yeah.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07I think the chances of the camera being discovered are almost nil.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Fly-tippers wouldn't expect the camera to be down here.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14With Gary's seal of approval everything is good to go,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17for what I'm going to call Operation Spooks.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19And Jonathan's confident
0:07:19 > 0:07:23they can repeat the success of past operations.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25We've got some people that have been caught,
0:07:25 > 0:07:27and we've caught them again a second time.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Oh right. You'd think that would be a deterrent, wouldn't you?
0:07:30 > 0:07:34You would do. In fact, we had one guy who had a waste carriage licence,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38- we ended up taking an ASBO out against him.- That's interesting. - One of the things we said,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41was he was prohibited from having any vehicle
0:07:41 > 0:07:44that didn't have the company name and details on.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Which made it very easy to identify
0:07:46 > 0:07:50- if he was turning up and depositing waste illegally.- Yeah.
0:07:50 > 0:07:56A-ha, very sly! But what a brilliant ploy to trap the no-good scoundrels.
0:07:56 > 0:07:57A few days later,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01Jonathan is back to carry out his undercover surveillance operation.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14An innocent-looking travel bag reveals tiny cameras,
0:08:14 > 0:08:16perfect for a secret operation.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28An innocent-looking dry stone wall
0:08:28 > 0:08:31becomes a secret eye on the murky world of the fly-tipper.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38An innocent-looking tree,
0:08:38 > 0:08:41the perfect disguise for the final camera.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43The whole area's covered -
0:08:43 > 0:08:45mission accomplished!
0:08:45 > 0:08:50Now it's just a waiting game to see who makes it onto candid camera,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53and get the comeuppance they deserve.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01Coming up - there's a phantom tyre-dumper on the loose.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03You can clearly see
0:09:03 > 0:09:06that he's loaded with tyres on the back of that vehicle.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09But will Jonathan catch him?
0:09:09 > 0:09:12He then turns around, and he comes back out,
0:09:12 > 0:09:14with the tyres still on the back of the vehicle.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Now to a shocking story
0:09:21 > 0:09:23of one family's brazen and shameless behaviour,
0:09:23 > 0:09:27which got curtains twitching in deepest Sussex.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31This is the village of Westfield, complete with pub,
0:09:31 > 0:09:33church and bowling green.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37But in 2007, this peaceful community was put under threat
0:09:37 > 0:09:40by some very nasty neighbours indeed.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44It all started when father and son Robert and Matthew Bilsby
0:09:44 > 0:09:46took a lease on a local barn.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51They replied to an advert in the newspaper.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53I asked a few locals if anyone had heard of them,
0:09:53 > 0:09:58and I had had no negative reports back, and took them on.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01They told local farmer Stuart Howard
0:10:01 > 0:10:04that their waste business was entirely above board.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07It was purely skip hire,
0:10:07 > 0:10:09renting them out, nothing to be imported back in.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12That was alongside the storage of motor vehicles.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15But the pair had been telling Stuart porkies,
0:10:15 > 0:10:18as local resident Bernadine Fiddimore found out.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22I noticed large fires taking place behind, on an almost nightly basis.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25They burned very brightly, and for a long, long time,
0:10:25 > 0:10:27with lots of plumes of black smoke,
0:10:27 > 0:10:30rather than the sort of thing you associate perhaps
0:10:30 > 0:10:32with wood and organic material.
0:10:32 > 0:10:37The thing was, Bernadine had a bird's-eye view of the barn,
0:10:37 > 0:10:38and what she saw made her smell a rat.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41It was an absolute perfect view. I could see the barn,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44I could see the skips coming in and out,
0:10:44 > 0:10:46I could see the fires being set and the fires burning,
0:10:46 > 0:10:49sometimes all night, all weekend on occasion.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51What Bernardine was witnessing
0:10:51 > 0:10:54was an entirely illegal waste disposal operation.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58The Bilsbys where bringing back skips containing tons of rubbish.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00I one day saw a skip lorry going in
0:11:00 > 0:11:04which clearly had, either washing machines or fridges or freezers,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06or something of that type on the back.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08And I know the skips left empty,
0:11:08 > 0:11:10so I know that some sort of disposal was going on.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13They were just stockpiling it all here,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16and then setting light to it all. Yes.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21The Bilsbys were operating with no waste carrier's licence,
0:11:21 > 0:11:22no waste treatment licence,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24no landfill licence,
0:11:24 > 0:11:26and no shame.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31But Bernadine was not going to let their skulduggery spoil her view, and poison the countryside.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34She turned into something of a Miss Marple -
0:11:34 > 0:11:37well, every English village needs one!
0:11:37 > 0:11:41I checked the website and there was no licence granted.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43So my suspicions were aroused even more
0:11:43 > 0:11:46and I started corresponding with the council frequently at that point.
0:11:46 > 0:11:47Good work, Bernadine.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50And unluckily for the Bilsbys, her letters,
0:11:50 > 0:11:52and those of other concerned locals,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54ended up on the desk of Rother Council's
0:11:54 > 0:11:57head of environmental enforcement, Michael Adams.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59As he gathered evidence,
0:11:59 > 0:12:03he realised he taken on a case of serious environmental crime.
0:12:05 > 0:12:06Bits of plastic,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09metal bolts, pieces of wood, ceramics.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Virtually every conceivable type of waste you can think of,
0:12:13 > 0:12:14including kids' toys.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18That was all burnt, and went up into the environment.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22The polluting duo were raking in the cash,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25charging the unsuspecting for waste disposal they carried out on the cheap,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28with horrible effects on the environment.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30But that wasn't the end of their greed.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34Inside the barn, they were operating a massive car scrap business.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39In conjunction with the waste activities
0:12:39 > 0:12:41that were taking place outside,
0:12:41 > 0:12:45they were also bringing in end-of-life vehicles, scrap vehicles.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49And they were stacked almost floor-to-ceiling -
0:12:49 > 0:12:52eight, nine vehicles high at any one time.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56Various fluids were taken out, in particular diesel and petrol.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59The catalytic converters were taken out of the vehicles,
0:12:59 > 0:13:01the batteries were taken out.
0:13:01 > 0:13:06For 1,000 catalytic converters, they could have got up to £40,000.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10- 40 Grand!- This- was big business, Bilsby style.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Maybe that made them reckless.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16Their regular pyres of burning waste were getting out of hand.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19There came an occasion where my neighbour came rushing back
0:13:19 > 0:13:23with her two children, all gasping and choking, eyes streaming.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27They'd driven through a plume of thick black smoke outside the barn.
0:13:27 > 0:13:32She said, "I just don't know what to do. I don't know if the children have breathed in something toxic."
0:13:32 > 0:13:35I came up to the attic. Sure enough, a huge fire was burning.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38And on that occasion, it seemed to be so out of control,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41and nobody there, that I called the fire brigade.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45The Environment Agency began using Bernadine's attic
0:13:45 > 0:13:48as a vantage point to monitor and photograph the building.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Meanwhile, beleaguered farmer Stuart
0:13:51 > 0:13:53was coming under pressure from the authorities
0:13:53 > 0:13:55because the crimes were on his land.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Things got so bad that I started to get letters
0:13:58 > 0:14:01from the Environment Agency as well as the council.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03And it was then that I confronted them
0:14:03 > 0:14:08and they got quite bullish and confrontational back.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11And that's when our relationship broke down.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14Mike needed to find a way of nailing the Bilsbys.
0:14:14 > 0:14:19We set up a permanent camera at the entrance, in the bushes,
0:14:19 > 0:14:23and monitored large numbers of vehicles being brought into site,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25and also a large amount of skips.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29But Mike knew that there was only one way to crack the case.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32He needed to catch the Bilsbys red-handed,
0:14:32 > 0:14:36in the act of burning waste on camera.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40In August 2009, Robert Bilsby was filmed covertly
0:14:40 > 0:14:45walking from the front of the barn, with a bucket full of accelerant.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48And he was filmed covertly actually setting fire to it.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52He hasn't done his health and safety training at all, obviously.
0:14:52 > 0:14:53Add it to the list, Mike.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55Finally, it looked as though
0:14:55 > 0:14:58the council and Environment Agency
0:14:58 > 0:15:00had the pyromaniac pair bang to rights.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Let's see the dirty deed again.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09Smile, Mr Bilsby. You're on camera.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11I showed a large amount of photographs
0:15:11 > 0:15:13to both of the defendants
0:15:13 > 0:15:17which included still photographs of Robert Bilsby
0:15:17 > 0:15:20setting fire to the waste. He made no comment to it.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23I imagine he was quite surprised at the time, though.
0:15:23 > 0:15:24Mike was right.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28In December 2009, Robert and Matthew Bilsby
0:15:28 > 0:15:33pleaded guilty to 11 waste disposal offences at Hove Crown Court.
0:15:33 > 0:15:38They were jailed for eight months, and ordered to pay £26,000 in costs.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40It was a victory for Rother Council
0:15:40 > 0:15:44in the biggest case of this kind they had ever brought to court.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49And the Bilsbys were also ordered to pay the traumatised farmer, Stuart Howard,
0:15:49 > 0:15:53£6,000 to help with the costs of cleaning up his land.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56I think it was approximately 20 lorry loads.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58There were three categories -
0:15:58 > 0:16:01one was toxic, another was just bulk builder stuff,
0:16:01 > 0:16:02another was burnable.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07The worst ordeal was not knowing if they were ever going to get out.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11When they were stuck in there, almost as a sitting tenant,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14I thought, "I've got these guys for life."
0:16:14 > 0:16:16And that made me very nervous.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19As far as I'm concerned, they both got what they deserved.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22They were abusive and threatening to the landowner,
0:16:22 > 0:16:26they were abusive and threatening to two of my colleagues.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29They refused to take heed of the various warning
0:16:29 > 0:16:32and notification of offences that were sent to them,
0:16:32 > 0:16:36and the visits that were given up here by my colleagues.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38They got what they deserved.
0:16:38 > 0:16:39Great result all round,
0:16:39 > 0:16:43and a case Miss Marple herself would be proud of.
0:16:49 > 0:16:50More super-sleuthing, now.
0:16:50 > 0:16:51Back in South Wales,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54where environment enforcer Jonathan Barratt
0:16:54 > 0:16:57is hot on the trail of rotten scoundrels
0:16:57 > 0:17:01bringing muck and destruction to the gorgeous Llanwonno Forest.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04A few weeks ago, he squirrelled away some surveillance cameras
0:17:04 > 0:17:07to capture the dirty fly-tippers in action.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11And now is the moment of truth.
0:17:16 > 0:17:17What we see
0:17:17 > 0:17:21is that a white pick-up, two-wheel drive,
0:17:21 > 0:17:22actually arrives on site.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24And you can clearly see
0:17:24 > 0:17:29that he's loaded with tyres on the back of that vehicle.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33Not what you'd expect to see on a country lane in a secluded forest.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36Then, as we go through, two walkers appear
0:17:36 > 0:17:39and we believe that that spooked him, because he then turns around,
0:17:39 > 0:17:43and he comes back out with the tyres still on the back of the vehicle.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47OK, OK. Innocent until proven guilty.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51Maybe he was just taking his tyres out for a nice little drive.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55We can also make out the registration plate,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58and from his registration plate, it was very easy for us
0:17:58 > 0:18:01to identify the vehicle and who it belongs to.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05And it turns out it does belong to a local business.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08So Jonathan has got a suspect, but no crime as yet.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12So he leaves site with the tyres.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15However, on reviewing the footage further,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18we can actually make out that he returns again
0:18:18 > 0:18:19a couple of hours later.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22'Ello, 'ello, 'ello!
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Back for another nice drive in the country, sir?
0:18:25 > 0:18:27This time, when he returns with the tyres,
0:18:27 > 0:18:31he goes onto the site, as per the first time.
0:18:31 > 0:18:32But when he comes off,
0:18:32 > 0:18:38we can see that there are no tyres present on the back of the vehicle.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Busted! And he doesn't even know he's been caught on camera.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43So, from that, we are confident that this person
0:18:43 > 0:18:46is the person that is responsible
0:18:46 > 0:18:48for the fly-tipping of the tyres on that lane.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51And we will be expecting him to answer what he did with the tyres
0:18:51 > 0:18:52and why he's left them there.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Well, you've been framed, mate.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Only I don't think you're going to be getting £250 appearance fee
0:18:58 > 0:19:00for this little stunt.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02Hopefully, he'll be the one having to fork out
0:19:02 > 0:19:03for his outrageous display.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07And it's all thanks to our Merlin's magical undercover operation.
0:19:07 > 0:19:12Without the footage, we would never be able to capture these people.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16The only way we could capture them is if we happened to be in the right place at the right time,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19which, when we cover a whole county borough, is almost impossible.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22So it just shows the benefit of having such equipment.
0:19:22 > 0:19:27So let's see with our own eyes what the fly-tipper actually left
0:19:27 > 0:19:28on his night-time mission.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Just look at how many there are.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34What we see here Is a real range of tyres.
0:19:34 > 0:19:35This is incredible.
0:19:35 > 0:19:36It hardly qualifies
0:19:36 > 0:19:40as an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty now, does it?
0:19:40 > 0:19:44This one here looks like it could even be a lorry tyre.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48More like an Area Of Outstandingly Bad Behaviour.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51There's clearly tyres from a wide range of vehicles here.
0:19:51 > 0:19:56Probably someone who changes tyres for a living. Maybe a small garage, something along those lines.
0:19:56 > 0:20:01Remember, Jonathan's got the registration number of whoever did this,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03so they can expect a visit soon.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Coming up - the adrenaline starts pumping.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Oh, brilliant. Come here.
0:20:10 > 0:20:11Let's wait here.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Operation Spooks takes on a whole new dimension.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18If he comes on site, we'll actually catch him.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Our next stop is Middlesbrough,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25a place with more than its fair share of filthy rotten scoundrels.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Last year, the council dealt with
0:20:27 > 0:20:30almost 3,000 different illegal rubbish dumps,
0:20:30 > 0:20:34costing them a not-very-cool £250,000.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38Luckily, there's one man who's relentless in his determination
0:20:38 > 0:20:39to beat the rubbish rogues,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42and passionate about clearing up the area.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47Meet environmental enforcement officer and local lad Lee Hooker.
0:20:47 > 0:20:48This work's ongoing,
0:20:48 > 0:20:50that's how I'd describe it.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53This is my patch.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56It's got to stop.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Do I think we'll win?
0:20:59 > 0:21:01Yeah.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03Something tells me Lee usually gets what he wants.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Today, he's on his regular patrol
0:21:06 > 0:21:09around the warren of terraced houses and alleyways
0:21:09 > 0:21:11which make up his patch.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13It's not glamorous work.
0:21:15 > 0:21:16I've stopped the car
0:21:16 > 0:21:19because there's some rubbish dumped outside the alley gate.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22But nothing escapes this environmental detective.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Watch this man go!
0:21:24 > 0:21:28That bin, that's a commercial bin in the alleyway.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Even a bin out of place gets the Lee treatment.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34It's not acceptable.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36It should be in the alleyway.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Just check that the bin can move.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40I'll very often get the excuse,
0:21:40 > 0:21:43"Well, I couldn't move the bin, the bin's jammed."
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Now it's checked
0:21:45 > 0:21:48and I'll serve them a legal notice telling them to move the bin.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54You've got to bear in mind as well,
0:21:54 > 0:21:58that these streets were cleansed by our fellas a couple of days ago,
0:21:58 > 0:22:00and it's in this state already.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Not acceptable.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Lee's not happy, but maybe this muck will lead him to a perpetrator.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10I'm going through the bag because I want to know who's put it here.
0:22:13 > 0:22:18And I want to know who's put it here cos it's two days after cleansing.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22You can just tell how much Lee cares about cleaning up his neighbourhood.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24Unfortunately, on this occasion,
0:22:24 > 0:22:28there's no hard evidence as to where the bags are from.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32Some people know they're doing wrong and take the evidence out, the letterheads,
0:22:32 > 0:22:34which is their prerogative.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37But Lee's not giving up yet.
0:22:37 > 0:22:42Just door-knocking to see if I can find out if anybody's seen anybody.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45The dangers are that it attracts pests and vermin,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47it attracts undesirables
0:22:47 > 0:22:51that might want to root about other people's rubbish
0:22:51 > 0:22:53for whatever reason.
0:22:53 > 0:22:54It's a slip hazard,
0:22:54 > 0:22:57it's just unsightly, unnecessary.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01With no-one around to question, Lee does what every good person does -
0:23:01 > 0:23:03rolls up his sleeves and gets stuck in.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07I've just got an alleyway that needs some loose litter clearing.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11It's about two split refuse sacks' worth.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14It looks as though people without keys to the alleyways
0:23:14 > 0:23:16are throwing their rubbish over the gates.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18This area is Lee's manor,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21and keeping the place clean is like a personal crusade.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23It does wind me up, it is a constant battle,
0:23:23 > 0:23:25just trying to make a difference and clean up.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27And it winds up the locals too.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29Fly-tipping in Middlesborough...
0:23:29 > 0:23:32I hate it, I absolutely hate it.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34I think that goes well beyond a fine,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37I think it goes well beyond community service.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39I think that's imprisonment, that.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Because they're going out of their way
0:23:42 > 0:23:44to do something illegal -
0:23:44 > 0:23:46really going out of their way.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48And they're just being lazy, at the end of the day.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52We have an excellent waste disposal service at the local dump.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56Why they're not using it I don't know. But I hate fly tipping.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00Lee gets straight on with his patrol,
0:24:00 > 0:24:04and his built-in litter-seeking system soon kicks in.
0:24:13 > 0:24:18I've just observed four people stood outside a building, all smoking,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21and there's some ground sign of cigarettes on the floor as well.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27It may just be a cigarette,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30but this sort of thing still upsets Lee and the locals.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32It's leading to a problem.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35The whole pavement will be a sea of cigarettes.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Right. The lady in the brown top has tossed her cigarette to the right.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Putting on his head-cam to record the action,
0:24:43 > 0:24:45no-nonsense Lee's going in.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Excuse me, can I have a word, ladies, please?
0:24:54 > 0:24:59I observed you toss your cigarette away. Why did that happen?
0:24:59 > 0:25:03- We haven't got nowhere to put them. - There's nowhere to put them out?
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Something tells me Lee isn't a man who likes excuses.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09If you're smoking, it's something in your possession,
0:25:09 > 0:25:13you just stub it out and keep it in something that you choose to use.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Are you willing to pick it up now?
0:25:15 > 0:25:17I don't even know which one it is.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20- See what I mean? There's loads. - That's not going to wash with Lee.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Dropping a fag-end is actually an offence
0:25:23 > 0:25:25and he could issue an on-the-spot fine.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28You may receive a letter in the post from us.
0:25:28 > 0:25:29But the matter will be recorded.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32It's a fair cop because the accumulated waste
0:25:32 > 0:25:34is pretty revolting.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38The estimate I would guess is about 100 cigarette ends on the pavement
0:25:38 > 0:25:40and in the entrance gate to the building.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44It's not acceptable to just drop your cigarettes on the floor.
0:25:44 > 0:25:45So do the right thing -
0:25:45 > 0:25:48stub them out and find a bin. It's just not that hard.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52And you never know, it may even make Lee crack a smile.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55Maybe not!
0:25:55 > 0:25:58Because there's no rest for this tireless filth-fighter.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Hello, Lee speaking. How can I help?
0:26:01 > 0:26:02Hi, Phil.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06His partner, enforcement officer Phil Armitage, is on the phone.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09I'm just going to investigate a fly tip and meet with Phil.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28Officer Lee Hooker, attending the scene of a fly tip.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31So we'll just photograph the scene
0:26:31 > 0:26:34and just try and find out what we can find out.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36Cue the detective music.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42This is one pongy tip,
0:26:42 > 0:26:46and Phil's as fed up as Lee that anyone would do this kind of thing.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49It's a legal bin area, so there shouldn't be any bags dumped.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Normally what they would say is, "I've had my wheelie bin pinched."
0:26:52 > 0:26:54But, there's half a skipful here,
0:26:54 > 0:26:58- so there's no way this has come out of a wheelie bin. - They've loaded that into a car
0:26:58 > 0:27:03- and then probably just brought it here.- Searching through this smelly waste may be filthy,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06but it's one way to find clues which might lead them to whoever did it,
0:27:06 > 0:27:08and help them reduce this crime.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13- And they've struck lucky. - We've found evidence.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16We've got ID from an address just around the corner.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19The easiest thing is to go round, speak to the gentleman,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21to see what explanation he's got.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23They suspect it's going to be the same old story.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26The householders will have waste on the front.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29They may be planning to take it to the tip,
0:27:29 > 0:27:30but a van will pull up and say,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33"Do you want that waste moving?" "How much?" "20 quid."
0:27:33 > 0:27:36They make an agreement, the waste can then just get fly-tipped.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38And the householder, well,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41they can now be prosecuted under the household duty of care.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43The address they've found is just around the corner.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47They want to get to the bottom of how this waste came to be dumped.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52See if they're in.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56Hello there. We're from Middlesbrough Council.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59- Yeah.- We're with the Environment Enforcement Team.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Basically, we believe that an offence may have taken place.
0:28:03 > 0:28:04The interview finished,
0:28:04 > 0:28:08it seems like it was a bit of a case of out of sight, out of mind.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11Basically, that lady that we've just spoken to
0:28:11 > 0:28:15has paid her brother's friend to remove the waste.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17He said he was going to put it in a skip.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20Basically, it's ended up tipped.
0:28:20 > 0:28:21And she's confirmed that
0:28:21 > 0:28:24all that stuff that has been found is her stuff.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26She has no transfer note, no receipts.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30She didn't check if the person who took the waste
0:28:30 > 0:28:33was a registered waste carrier or licensed,
0:28:33 > 0:28:35so she may well end up in court for this,
0:28:35 > 0:28:37unless she can provide details
0:28:37 > 0:28:39of the gentleman who actually took the waste.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42That may sound harsh,
0:28:42 > 0:28:46but everyone has a responsibility for seeing their waste is disposed of responsibly,
0:28:46 > 0:28:49and Phil and Lee will make sure you take the rap if you don't.
0:28:49 > 0:28:50Case closed.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54And Lee's standards obviously rubbed off
0:28:54 > 0:28:57at the office with the cigarette dump.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01They cleaned up their act after Lee offered them a bin for cigarettes.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04Lee Hooker, you deserve a medal.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17We're back in the Welsh valleys now,
0:29:17 > 0:29:20where our tenacious environment enforcer, Jonathan Barratt,
0:29:20 > 0:29:23is battling the grubby forces of evil
0:29:23 > 0:29:27that are tipping rubbish on his beautiful patch.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31But if you thought seeing piles of household muck and stacks of tyres was bad,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33it just got worse -
0:29:33 > 0:29:36a whole lot worse - here in South Wales.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39Now, who in their right mind would do this?
0:29:39 > 0:29:43Someone is transporting large amounts of waste to a field,
0:29:43 > 0:29:45dumping it, and then setting fire to it.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49The fact that they're bringing it here and then burning it
0:29:49 > 0:29:52is clearly evidence, as far as we're concerned,
0:29:52 > 0:29:54that they're just trying to get rid of it on the cheap.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56The cheapskates!
0:29:56 > 0:30:00It's not just laziness that motivates these filthy rogues,
0:30:00 > 0:30:04it's also about saving a few bob, and blow the environment.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07So this is the spot here,
0:30:07 > 0:30:11where the fires tend to be lit in the fields, burning the waste.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13When you look around, you see the rolling fields, the hills,
0:30:13 > 0:30:17you've got the forests of Llanwonno over there,
0:30:17 > 0:30:18and it is an area of natural beauty,
0:30:18 > 0:30:21and because of that, we do get a lot of visitors.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24We get a lot of people coming up on bikes or just walking,
0:30:24 > 0:30:26and then down here, we have a fire burning -
0:30:26 > 0:30:28waste is being illegally gotten rid of.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31It's truly outrageous behaviour,
0:30:31 > 0:30:33and Jonathan can't bear it.
0:30:35 > 0:30:36It makes me angry
0:30:36 > 0:30:39when I see people disposing of waste in this manner.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42When I see people fly-tipping, or just littering,
0:30:42 > 0:30:44throwing a crisp packet on the floor,
0:30:44 > 0:30:47it makes me angry to think that people have such little respect,
0:30:47 > 0:30:50for not just the countryside, but our town centres as well.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53You know, we all have to live here equally together,
0:30:53 > 0:30:57and it's such a shame when people have such little regard for it.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02You can see how passionate he is about this beautiful countryside,
0:31:02 > 0:31:05and he's already got his sights set on the rotten fire-starters.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07We've monitored the site,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10and although we've not caught the persons responsible
0:31:10 > 0:31:12for bringing the waste here and depositing it,
0:31:12 > 0:31:15we are pretty confident we know who they are.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19It's a case now of getting that final piece of evidence and catching them in the act.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22Hello, hang on a minute! Who goes there?
0:31:22 > 0:31:26Just give me two seconds. I'm always interested when I hear vehicles.
0:31:26 > 0:31:31Ah, ah! Brilliant! Come here. Let's wait here.
0:31:31 > 0:31:36This is the vehicle, and he's got waste on the back. If he comes on site, we'll actually catch him.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38ENGINE CHUGS And listen...
0:31:38 > 0:31:41That sounds like his engine's slowing down.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43CAR COMES TO A STOP
0:31:43 > 0:31:46Damn it, he's coming on site!
0:31:46 > 0:31:48He's coming on site.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Now, this isn't a registered waste disposal site,
0:31:51 > 0:31:53so if he does deposit the waste here,
0:31:53 > 0:31:55there are offences that will be committed,
0:31:55 > 0:31:57and if the waste is then set fire to and burnt,
0:31:57 > 0:32:01there are other offences there that we can look at taking action for.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03So if we just wait a few minutes,
0:32:03 > 0:32:07hopefully we'll... We might catch him in the act.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11It might be that he's turned round.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13He has, he's turned round.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16Look, you can see, he's got a van full of waste.
0:32:22 > 0:32:23Damn.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27It looks like what's actually happened is he's turned up
0:32:27 > 0:32:30and he's turned round and driven off again.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33It might be that they've seen the vehicles further up the road
0:32:33 > 0:32:36and said, "Don't dump anything today."
0:32:37 > 0:32:39So, no-one caught red-handed today.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42But with a brilliant passion for keeping his local area clean,
0:32:42 > 0:32:48I reckon it's only a matter of time before Jonathan gets his man.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54From wonderful beaches and a rugged countryside,
0:32:54 > 0:32:55to medieval forests
0:32:55 > 0:32:57and beautiful nature reserves.
0:32:57 > 0:32:58These unspoilt landscapes
0:32:58 > 0:33:02are what define Britain and make it great.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05Some of this land is owned by the National Trust,
0:33:05 > 0:33:10formed in 1895 to protect and preserve heritage sites and green spaces.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12Like Bookham Common, Surrey.
0:33:12 > 0:33:17This is a magnificent undulating open space, filled with oak woods,
0:33:17 > 0:33:22scrub and grassland spread across 370 acres,
0:33:22 > 0:33:26and all of this within a stone's throw of the M25.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28So having this bit of green space
0:33:28 > 0:33:31is all the more important to the people who visit.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34It's just nice to get out in the fresh air and, you know,
0:33:34 > 0:33:38- nice open space.- Yeah, especially when the little one grows up,
0:33:38 > 0:33:39for running around in.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42Cos it's lovely and green,
0:33:42 > 0:33:44so it's quite important to us, as a family.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47We've just been cycling through Bookham Common.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49It's a great common to cycle through,
0:33:49 > 0:33:51and it's just lovely to take in all the trees
0:33:51 > 0:33:54and just hear the noises of nature.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57Sounds idyllic!
0:33:57 > 0:34:00And doesn't it make you want to put on your boots
0:34:00 > 0:34:01and go for a nice long walk?
0:34:01 > 0:34:04But then, someone's got to go and spoil it all, with this...
0:34:10 > 0:34:12..piles of illegally dumped waste.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21Shocking, but sadly something wardens Rob and Ian
0:34:21 > 0:34:22are only too used to.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25- So, we've got another one. - Yet another deposit.
0:34:25 > 0:34:30Yeah, it's mainly tree cuttings and shrubs from someone's garden.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33- That's a garden shrub.- Hm. - But also all these car parts.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36Car parts?! Unbelievable!
0:34:36 > 0:34:40I mean, we can probably... We can try and recycle some of it.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44We put it in the steel skip, but there's a lot of other rubbish here.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48Depending on what it is, I mean, sometimes we get chemicals,
0:34:48 > 0:34:51and if those chemicals are leaching out into the ground,
0:34:51 > 0:34:55or if they're in close proximity to a waterway,
0:34:55 > 0:34:58we've got a real situation on our hands.
0:34:58 > 0:34:59I'll just remind you
0:34:59 > 0:35:02that someone thought it was OK to dump this lot
0:35:02 > 0:35:04on National Trust land.
0:35:04 > 0:35:05There's oil on here.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09The oil will be leaching down the rivulet of water down there.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11That will find its way to the stream.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13It's all pollution.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16Covered in oil.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18Some of it's got berries on.
0:35:19 > 0:35:24There's a possibility of seeds being deposited and germinating.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28We have risk assessments in place for these sort of things.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31The wardens have to glove-up when they're handling it.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35There may be needles in there, syringes, this sort of thing.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38The whole range, really. So you do have to be very careful
0:35:38 > 0:35:41before you start to pick it up, you know.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46Eugh! That sounds a bit dodgy, I wouldn't like to have to clear that,
0:35:46 > 0:35:51but this isn't the only dump to appear on the common.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55This is the material that arrived on Wednesday night.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58I think we're going to have to call our local contractor.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01OK, this might not look much,
0:36:01 > 0:36:04I know what you're thinking - it's not exactly toxic waste.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07But, this pile of turf
0:36:07 > 0:36:09has been left bang in the middle of the car park
0:36:09 > 0:36:10and has to be cleared up -
0:36:10 > 0:36:12and that means time and money.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15In terms of the cost of this you're probably looking at £300
0:36:15 > 0:36:17to get rid of this lot today.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21That's another £300 that's got to come out of the pot.
0:36:21 > 0:36:25You know, we are a charity, sites like this don't make money.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27There is a net cost in managing these places.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30That's £300 that could be spent on a public access benefit
0:36:30 > 0:36:34or some nature conservation work.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36Very annoying.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38Annoying? That's an understatement.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41It's unbelievable, and it's what upsets us Brits.
0:36:41 > 0:36:46Bookham Common is hit with around 20 fly tips a year,
0:36:46 > 0:36:51some of which are mountains of muck and can cost up to £1,000 to clear.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54In all, up to £15,000 is coming out of the National Trust's kitty
0:36:54 > 0:36:58to clean up these scoundrels' mess.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01And there's another more hidden problem.
0:37:01 > 0:37:02A lot of garden waste
0:37:02 > 0:37:06where alien species get introduced to the property as well.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08And they tend to smother the native plants
0:37:08 > 0:37:11that the wildlife needs to survive.
0:37:11 > 0:37:16So, it's very important that we don't have these invasive garden plants
0:37:16 > 0:37:17on sites like this
0:37:17 > 0:37:19because of the damage that they can do
0:37:19 > 0:37:21to the native wildlife.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24And this place is bursting with wildlife.
0:37:24 > 0:37:25There's foxes, badgers,
0:37:25 > 0:37:28woodpeckers, deer, newts,
0:37:28 > 0:37:301,550 species of beetle,
0:37:30 > 0:37:34the rare Purple Emperor and White Admiral butterflies...
0:37:34 > 0:37:36Phew! The list just goes on.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40OK, so we didn't see any of those the day we were there,
0:37:40 > 0:37:43so you get some nice pictures of trees instead.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47But the shy wildlife is why Bookham was made a site
0:37:47 > 0:37:50of special scientific interest in 1961.
0:37:50 > 0:37:54So why in the world dump your rubbish here?
0:37:54 > 0:37:56Just look at this next fly tip -
0:37:56 > 0:37:59a van-load full of chunks of concrete.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01It is beyond me!
0:38:03 > 0:38:06This arrived similar time, really,
0:38:06 > 0:38:08early hours of the evening.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12It's probably concrete from someone's driveway.
0:38:12 > 0:38:13There's no real pattern to this.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15They come out here in the evening
0:38:15 > 0:38:19and sometimes they'll drive a lot deeper into the common
0:38:19 > 0:38:23and totally block a track, so that even vehicles can't get in or out.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27But Rob and Ian do their best to track them down.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30They'll get stuck into the tips to dig out any clues
0:38:30 > 0:38:32to work out where the rubbish came from
0:38:32 > 0:38:34and then the owners will get a visit.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37Sometimes people are quite shocked,
0:38:37 > 0:38:39they think it's been taken away
0:38:39 > 0:38:41and dealt with in a responsible manner.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44And they're shocked when you explain to them,
0:38:44 > 0:38:45your rubbish has ended up
0:38:45 > 0:38:48on one of our properties in the car park,
0:38:48 > 0:38:50and they're quite shocked by it.
0:38:50 > 0:38:55But if we can, we'll trace it back to the people who brought it here
0:38:55 > 0:38:58and it'll be followed up with the police.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Too right, these scoundrels shouldn't be allowed to get away
0:39:01 > 0:39:03and regular visitors are fed up with it.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07Terrible, these people have probably been paid to do a job
0:39:07 > 0:39:11and they've told them they're going to dispose of it sensibly
0:39:11 > 0:39:14in the correct places and they obviously haven't.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16They've picked their moment
0:39:16 > 0:39:18and just found a spot and dumped it.
0:39:18 > 0:39:22Other people shouldn't have to pick up other people's rubbish at the end of the day!
0:39:22 > 0:39:24I'd like to see their reaction
0:39:24 > 0:39:27- if they woke up with that on their driveway.- Absolutely.
0:39:27 > 0:39:28To see things like that,
0:39:28 > 0:39:30it's wasting time and money
0:39:30 > 0:39:33when it could be spent on resources in the woodland
0:39:33 > 0:39:36and the National Trust as a whole.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39- Yeah, it's terrible.- It's a real shame.- Yeah, it's not good.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44Well said, plus it's galling for members of the National Trust
0:39:44 > 0:39:48who pay around £45 a year to support its brilliant work.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50Tempers are flaring.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53To just dump rubbish
0:39:53 > 0:39:55in an open space
0:39:55 > 0:39:57is totally unnecessary
0:39:57 > 0:40:03and they just have no regard for nature.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06Not only have we paid our subscription to be able to benefit from these parks,
0:40:06 > 0:40:11but we're paying for vandals that think they can just dump rubbish.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Ooh, I'd love the vandals to come face-to-face with this lady!
0:40:13 > 0:40:16I've no doubt she'd show them what for.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19But, at least she doesn't have to look at that mess any longer,
0:40:19 > 0:40:21for the cleaning cavalry has arrived.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24So what have we got here?
0:40:24 > 0:40:28A pick-up truck carrying a little digger and a tipping lorry. What a palaver!
0:40:28 > 0:40:32I'm not surprised it's costing 300 quid, it's quite an operation.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35And here's the man in charge, Arthur Elms,
0:40:35 > 0:40:37who's just as angry as everyone else.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42It's happening all the time, illegal fly-tippers.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46It usually either tyres, or concrete, or dirt, or builders' rubbish, anything.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49I think it's terrible, it's a blight to the countryside.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53There's plenty of facilities to tip this sort of rubbish,
0:40:53 > 0:40:55so why they can't go to the right places, I don't know.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59And I think Arthur's speaking for most of Britain here,
0:40:59 > 0:41:01so the digger does its thing.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11One down, one to go.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18And within half an hour,
0:41:18 > 0:41:21the car park's been cleared up and the concrete is loaded up,
0:41:21 > 0:41:23ready to be disposed of properly.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27This one's been a very easy one today,
0:41:27 > 0:41:28it's been straightforward,
0:41:28 > 0:41:31it's tipped on the hard surface of the tarmac.
0:41:31 > 0:41:36Sometimes they tip it over the posts and into the trees, which makes life more difficult.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39But Today it's been a nice easy one.
0:41:39 > 0:41:45Easy or not, it's a job that should never have had to happen in the first place.
0:41:45 > 0:41:46But now the car park's cleared,
0:41:46 > 0:41:49and once again there's room for visitors to park up
0:41:49 > 0:41:51and enjoy this lovely common.
0:41:51 > 0:41:52Nice one, Arthur!
0:41:52 > 0:41:56- Thank you very much.- We'll see you on the next one.- Not too soon I hope.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58Well, we hope not. Thank you. Bye-bye.
0:42:02 > 0:42:06Before we go today, an update on a couple of investigations.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08In the Welsh valleys,
0:42:08 > 0:42:10the man dumping waste in a field and setting fire to it
0:42:10 > 0:42:13has put his hands up to his revolting actions
0:42:13 > 0:42:15and is now waiting to hear his fate.
0:42:15 > 0:42:19And Jonathan is also well on the case
0:42:19 > 0:42:21with the person who did this...
0:42:21 > 0:42:25Last time we were here at this spot, there was a fresh dump of tyres
0:42:25 > 0:42:27in this particular spot.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29As you can see, those tyres have now been burned
0:42:29 > 0:42:33and all that remains are the wires that are contained within the tyres.
0:42:33 > 0:42:34There was also correspondence
0:42:34 > 0:42:37relating to a particular person and a particular address.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40Those investigations are ongoing.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42We have invited someone in for an interview,
0:42:42 > 0:42:43they have failed to attend.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46So our next step is we'll be visiting them in their home
0:42:46 > 0:42:50to try and ascertain why their items were found in this location.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52More good detective work,
0:42:52 > 0:42:55and more proof that if you do this kind of thing,
0:42:55 > 0:42:57you will be tracked down.
0:43:00 > 0:43:05From builders' rubble to household waste, and everything in between.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08There's a great British army of enforcers out there
0:43:08 > 0:43:10working to keep our country tidy.
0:43:10 > 0:43:11Join us next time,
0:43:11 > 0:43:15when we'll be chasing down more Filthy Rotten Scoundrels.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:25 > 0:43:28E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk