STREET OF SHAME
We live on the UK’s ‘WORST’ street – it’s plagued by a huge mountain of stinking rubbish infested with rats
RESIDENTS of the 'worst street in Britain' are suffering 'hell' living next to a giant rubbish-pile infested with rodents and leaking with smells.
Those who live on Deykin Avenue in Aston, Birmingham have had a 7ft high and 100m long pile of junk sat on their doorsteps for years and they say it just keeps growing.
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The stinking heap, known locally as Deykin's 'grot spot', has been growing for two years because of extreme fly-tipping.
Locals claim that complaints to Birmingham City Council have simply fallen on death ears.
James Lauder, whose 84-year-old mother lives next to the dump, said the issue was "severe".
"There's rubbish added everyday," he told TalkV.
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"It smells disgusting - but it's not just an environmental issue. There's also a fire risk here - I've seen propane gas canisters piled in the rubbish.
"It only takes a small spark to start a fire - the consequences don't bear thinking about."
A long-term resident of the road, Brenda, explained: "It's a rat infested eye-sore. It smells rotten - there's stray cats everywhere, rats too.
"It's been this way for a couple of years. It was only a little pile to begin with. I want to see it cleaned up - it's not nice living here," she told .
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Rafay Mhmed, who lives with his family nearby to the rubbish pile, says its relentless. "People are always throwing rubbish in the alleyway. Whether it is glass bottles, paper, wood or mattresses, it is always full.
"All the rubbish dumping happens at night, so we never see who does it," he added.
Two local councillors have urged the council to step up and clear with the growing, rotting heap.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Mumtaz Hussain believes the council are ignoring the issue. "The situation has gone from bad to worse over the years."
"The residents want this cleared up but no one is taking responsibility for it. We're hitting a brick wall every time we try to do something about it," she said.
Fellow Councillor, Ayoub Khan, added: "It's sad for the residents. It's a health hazard in every respect - if this was to catch fire it would be so destructive.
"The council seems to ignore these fly tipping locations because they say it's private land - but residents don't see why they should be forced to clear it when people are coming to dump from elsewhere."
The Birmingham City Council member for the environment has said: "Fly-tipping harms where we all have to live and work - and is carried out by environmental criminals that have no regard for our neighbourhoods or their well-being.
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"Put quite simply, we share the concerns of residents and businesses, but the council does not dump waste on the streets. Irresponsible people do."
They claimed that waste is cleared when its found on "public land" and that if there's enough evidence, the council will prosecute.
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