A County Durham cemetery has been hit by a fly-tipping incident that saw chairs, concrete and other general rubbish ditched next to gravestones.

The incident, which happened on Tuesday, July 4, at Metal Bridge Cemetery, near Ferryhill, at 8pm saw heaps of rubbish left at the scene and chairs scattered near headstones.

A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, took pictures of the fly-tipped material and reported it to Durham County Council.

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He told The Northern Echo: "I was walking my dog when I spotted this huge pile of rubbish tipped right outside the cemetery.

"I've seen bits and pieces there before but never this amount. I would hate to think there was a funeral there and the mourners came across that - it would be terrible for them to see.

"It's blocking the road too. If a tractor or another vehicle came down there they'd have to stop and move the rubbish to get past."

After reporting the incident, Durham County Council clered the fly-tipping the next day, with Ian Hoult, Durham County Council’s neighbourhood protection manager, confirming the removal.

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He said: “We responded to a report of a fly tip on Tuesday 4 July at Metal Bridge Cemetery and arranged for the rubbish to be removed the following day.

“We take incidents of fly tipping very seriously as they can have a significant negative impact on the environment as well as being unsightly.

"We would encourage anyone who comes across an incident of fly tipping to report it to us immediately so that we can take action.”