A CAMPAIGNING wildlife group is calling on the authorities to clear up a stream in Jaywick which is being used as a dumping hotspot for rubbish.

Wildlife Defenders, an organisation set-up to help the environment, says a narrow river in Crossways Park is being filled with carpet cut-offs, planks of wood and litter.

The spanning water flow is home to ducks and other forms of nature and runs throughout the green space, in which there is also a play area for young children.

The local activists want to see the eyesore tidied up and made more wildlife friendly but believe no action will be taken because of the village in which it is located.

A spokesman for Wildlife Defenders said: “This was first reported during the six weeks holiday, before the children went back to school, but nothing has been done.

“When you report something in Jaywick it just gets swept under the carpet.

“There is wood, carpet, cans and bottles in the stream and ducks and wildlife are just having to swim around it all.

“It makes me angry when the community is trying to keep it clean.”

According to the wildlife crusaders neither the Environment Agency nor Tendring Council seem to want to take responsibility for the clean-up.

The spokesman continued: “The Environmental Agency says it isn’t down to them because the area is too small, but Tendring Council says it is unlikely they would own the stream.

“It is very annoying when you just get passed around from one person to another and it is a fight to get it sorted – we are not giving up.

“This is why things are the way they are here, because the people responsible are not looking after the area.”

When contacted by the Gazette, the Environment Agency said that flytipped waste in a river is the responsibility of the land owner and local authority, and they would only intervene if it could lead to a large flood risk.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "It is the land owner’s responsibility to remove flytipped waste and to secure their land.

"Riparian land owners have further responsibilities to ensure their watercourse is maintained, flows freely and doesn’t increase flood risk.

"The local authority has the power to investigate the flytipping. We may investigate flytipping if it is large scale, involves hazardous waste or involves organised crime.

"The Environment Agency may become involved or offer advice if a significant flood risk arises."

But councillor Michael Talbot, Tendring Council Cabinet Member for Environment, has now said the council would look to clear the rubbish, and will work with the Environment Agency about clearing vegetation.

Mr Talbot said: "Tendring Council has some responsibilities as one of the neighbouring landowners to clear any fly-tipping into the river, while the Environment Agency also has a role to keep the river clear and flowing by keeping vegetation cleared.

"We have therefore raised this issue with the Environment Agency to come up with a joint solution to ensure the river is kept clear and flowing."