Residents of a rural lane,Sunwood Lane in Clayton West Yorkshire have caught a man on camera dumping waste from the boot of a car, as they take matters into their own hands by installing their own surveillance equipment to combat what they say has become a persistent and growing problem.
The footage, captured on a trail camera on Sunwood Lane in Clayton, near Bradford, shows a man in dark clothing unloading large flat items — believed to be construction or household waste — from a silver or grey hatchback. A partial registration plate, beginning LE19, is visible in the footage, which has been shared publicly in the hope that someone will identify the offender or that police or Bradford Council will act. Locals say this is the fourth such incident recorded on the lane in just a few weeks.
No offender has yet been publicly named. West Yorkshire Police and Bradford Council have been urged to act on the footage, with residents sharing the clip widely to maximise the chances of identification.
The incident reflects a problem that has reached record levels across England. Official figures show that 1.26 million fly-tipping incidents were reported to councils in the year to March 2025, a rise of nine per cent on the previous year, costing local authorities tens of millions of pounds in clean-up costs. Rural lanes and highways bear a disproportionate share of that burden, with quiet, isolated spots attracting repeat offenders who calculate the risk of being caught is low.
Experts point to several drivers behind the surge, including high fees or inconvenient access at household waste recycling centres and the use of unlicensed carriers who take payment from members of the public before dumping the waste illegally rather than disposing of it properly. In some cases, opportunism and the belief that rural cameras are rarely installed play a significant role.
Across England, councils and residents have begun pushing back more aggressively. Covert trail cameras have produced successful prosecutions in several areas, including Wiltshire, where dozens of fly-tippers have been fined after being caught on hidden cameras. Penalties can run to thousands of pounds and in some cases extend to vehicle seizures and community orders. The Sunwood Lane residents’ decision to install their own cameras represents a growing trend of communities refusing to wait for official action.
Anyone who recognises the vehicle or the individual in the footage is asked to contact West Yorkshire Police or Bradford Council.
