It started with a stroll in the countryside near Kidlington, Oxfordshire, and ended in disbelief.
Local walkers stumbled upon a staggering 500-foot-long mound of waste, estimated to weigh 21,000 tonnes.
What should have been peaceful green fields was instead transformed into one of the largest illegal dumps ever recorded in Britain.
Authorities quickly labelled it a major environmental disaster, and the clean-up effort is expected to cost around £10 million.
But now, the investigation has taken a significant turn: two men have been arrested in connection with the colossal fly-tip.
Arrests Bring New Focus on the Case
The Environment Agency (EA) confirmed that a 69-year-old man was arrested at a home in Andover, Hampshire, while a 54-year-old was detained in Slough.
Both face charges tied to environmental offences and money laundering linked to the massive pile of waste.
These arrests are part of an ongoing investigation, and both men have been released on bail while authorities continue gathering evidence.
What the Dump Contains and Why It’s Dangerous
The gigantic dump sits between the River Cherwell, which eventually flows into the Thames, and the A34 road.
Officials say it’s filled with processed domestic waste, including shredded plastics, polystyrene, and other household items.
It’s believed the entire pile was dumped at once, raising alarms among politicians and residents alike.
One MP described it as a potential environmental disaster, highlighting the urgent need for action.
A Growing Problem Across England
The Kidlington site is just one of 517 illegal dumps scattered across England.
At least 11 of these are classified as “super sites,” each holding more than 20,000 tonnes of waste.
Among them are a 280,000-tonne mountain in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne dumps in Lancashire and Cornwall, and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.
Most of these illegal sites are tucked away in countryside areas, often on protected greenbelt land.
Police warn that organised criminal gangs usually run them, offering cheaper waste disposal than legal operators and turning environmental destruction into a lucrative business.
Clean-Up Begins Amid Safety Concerns
The clean-up at Kidlington began earlier this month amid worries about fire hazards and the impact on the nearby A-road.
A private firm has been awarded a £9.6 million contract to clear the site over the next year.
Emma Viner, enforcement and investigations manager for the EA’s national environmental crime unit, told the BBC that the agency plans to recover the costs through the Proceeds of Crime Act from anyone prosecuted for the illegal dumping.
She described the dump as “an atrocious and deliberate attack on our environment” and said the EA shares the local community’s outrage.
“The illegal dumping has caused significant damage to the environment and distress to residents,” she added.
Political Attention and Calls for Action
The issue has also drawn political attention.
Last November, Liberal Democrat MP Calum Miller raised the fly-tip in Parliament, highlighting the risks it posed.
He noted that the waste was sitting on a floodplain next to the River Cherwell, where rising river levels and heat from decomposing plastics could create a fire hazard.
Environment Minister Mary Creagh responded by criticising the previous Labour government for inheriting a failing waste system, saying it had led to an “epidemic of illegal fly-tipping.”
Ongoing Investigation and Next Steps
The arrests follow a previous detention of a 39-year-old man from Surrey in November, who was released pending further investigation.
Authorities continue to probe how such a massive amount of waste ended up illegally dumped in Oxfordshire, with serious attention being paid to the criminal networks involved.
For now, the community and the Environment Agency are focused on the massive clean-up, while the legal process works to hold those responsible accountable.
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