A BUSINESSMAN has hit out at a fly-tipper who dumped a pile of rubbish across two parking bays in Romsey at the weekend.

Four mattresses, three bed bases, draws and bedside tables were illegally discarded by an offender at Wathen Marine Catering Equipment Services in Abbey Park Industrial Estate.

Director of the business, Ieuan Wathen, told the Advertiser he was alerted to the fly-tip on Sunday afternoon [March 28].

He explained: "The neighbouring business found the fly-tip on Sunday at around 12.30pm and phoned me straight away.

"There were four mattresses, three bed bases, draws and a couple of bedside tables on our parking bays, which was quite annoying really because it was my responsibility to clear.

"It has cost my business undue money to get rid of the items, especially in Covid times, and because the mattresses are soiled I had to pay extra, so it is going to be £400."

However, Mr Wathen claimed the industrial estate's CCTV caught the culprit throwing the rubbish on the parking bays at around 10am on Sunday.

He said: "I was actually quite pleased to be honest, because there is evidence on CCTV footage and by the time I found it two days later I had got over the initial shock and anger and I just wanted to catch them.

"A lot of the evidence is with Test Valley Borough Council now."

The businessman, who is also the president of the Romsey & District Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said he will now install CCTV around his unit in a bid to catch future criminals red-handed.

He added the waste management service, Ace Liftaway, came to collect the rubbish yesterday [April 1].

According to the charity, Keep Britain Tidy, if you are a private landowner and are a victim of fly-tipping then it is your responsibility to safely dispose of the waste and pay any costs.

The website stresses to report the incident to the local authority or the Environment Agency.