A FARMER is being plagued by fly-tippers dumping anything from dead rabbits to gas cylinders on his land.

Tony Wilson, who has farmed at Old Wingate Farm, near Trimdon Station, County Durham, for 34 years, is fighting a rising tide of rubbish dumped by tippers.

The rubbish, which has included tyres, mattresses, bits of cars and garden waste, is often thrown into his fields, clogging up farm machinery.

Mr Wilson farms next door to the old Wingate North waste disposal site, which was closed more than ten years ago.

However, the boundaries of the site have remained attractive to tippers, despite warning signs being put up by Durham County Council.

Mr Wilson said: "It is a damn nuisance. The rubbish is dumped mainly during the night, although we have had a load of soil left one lunchtime.

"We once had a dead goat left for about a week and we've also had dead rabbits thrown into a field. It is not very pleasant."

The National Farmers Union has warned that the problems of fly-tipping on farm land is getting worse.

This is thought to be because of the introduction of a landfill tax levied by landfill companies, which was aimed at encouraging less waste and more recycling.

NFU deputy president Tim Bennett said: "It is quite unacceptable that farmers are having to bear the brunt of the costs of clearing up a crime they didn't commit."

Fraser Davie, spokesman for Durham County Council, said: "We are aware that, from time to time, tipping is taking place in this area, and we have arranged to have it removed.

"Warning signs put up have been stolen and vandalised and we do intend to go back and check if more are needed.

"Unfortunately though, without manning this land 24 hours a day, there is a limit to what we can do to prevent tipping."