A BUSINESS owner in Derby has slammed fly-tippers who have dumped a mattress and bags of "stinking rubbish" in her car park.
Kerry Bentley said she is worried the offenders may return to dump more junk "because they may think they have got away with it."
She made the comment after learning that 5,000 incidents of fly-tipping had been reported to Derby City Council in the past 12 months – but that not one person had been prosecuted.
Ms Bentley, who owns Derby Business College, said she arrived at work to discover the dumped mattress in the car park at Stuart House, in Green Lane, on Thursday morning. She said: "It is absolutely disgusting. The place was filthy dirty. A city council ranger arrived and started taking pictures of it so I asked her what she was going to do about it.
"She said all she could do was take pictures and pass them on the relevant person but there was nothing she could do there and then.
"The mattress was horrible and the rubbish bags that were dumped stank.
"We have a lot of visitors to the site and what sort of impression is this rubbish lying around going to have?
"One of my fears is that if they get away with this are they going to keep dumping stuff here?"
Ms Bentley is the latest person to contact the Derby Telegraph about the problem of fly-tipping over the past week.
Other photographs include ones sent in from Normanton and include trash in the undergrowth outside Derby Family Medical Centre in Hastings Street. Another showed trash dumped underneath a sign that reads "no fly-tipping" in Fairfax Road, which was taken by the Normanton Empowerment Team.
Dawn Gee, from the group, contacted the council's Streetpride team about the problem at the medical centre and has now received a response from them.
It reads: "As the rubbish is in a private car park the Streetpride team would be unable to remove the rubbish. It would be the responsibility of the doctor's surgery to arrange to have this removed."
Ms Gee said: "Some weeks ago I asked for an opportunity for the NET team to meet with the council leader, Ranjit Banwait, about the problem of fly-tipping in the area.
"The council has now confirmed to me that a meeting is scheduled to take place with Mr Banwait later this month."
John Tomlinson, director of environment and regulatory service at the council, said: "We investigate all complaints of fly-tipping. However, the responsibility for any rubbish on private land lies with the landowner.
"The authority looks for physical evidence within the rubbish and talks to potential witnesses in an attempt to source the offender and where possible will prosecute them.
"All reported incidents are the subject of a criminal investigation and we are not able to release any more specific details during this time."
BREAKING EMERGENCY Boeing 737 Jet2 flight #LS625 all safe on board.
— AirLiveNet (@airlivenet) July 4, 2014BREAKING EMERGENCY Boeing 737 Jet2 flight #LS625 has landed ! on @manairport
— AirLiveNet (@airlivenet) July 4, 2014BREAKING EMERGENCY Boeing 737 Jet2 flight #LS625 could have burned fuel to loose maximum weight before landing in case of gear issue.
— AirLiveNet (@airlivenet) July 4, 2014BREAKING Boeing 737 Jet2 flight #LS625 from East Midlands to Heraklion is declaring an emergency and circling at 19,000 feet.
— AirLiveNet (@airlivenet) July 4, 2014
A WEEKEND of events in Littleover is taking place on Saturday and Sunday to tie in with next month's centenary of the outbreak of the First World War.
St Peter's Church and St Peter's C of E Junior School are linking up with Littleover Historical Society and Royal British Legion Littleover to show the impact of the war on the area.
A remembrance trail has been compiled using homes in the village where men who died lived before the war.
The trail covers 12 houses in the village – each will display a poster in the garden or window noting the name and details of the soldier who lived there.
Other events on Saturday included: St Peter's C of E Junior School's summer fair; a flower festival in St Peter's church and a concert on Saturday night at 7pm, featuring music from St Peter's school choir, Derby High School primary choir, the Singing for Pleasure Choir and harpist Laura-Rose Gee.
On Sunday at 10am there will be a service of commemoration in St Peter's Church with the Littleover branch of the Royal British Legion.
During the service, 37 candles will be lit and the names of the fallen men of Littleover will be read out and the candles extinguished one by one.
The Rev Alicia Dring said: "St Peter's congregation planted poppy seeds in spring so that the churchyard will be filled with red poppies for August 4, when the start of the war centenary occurs."
The weekend ends with a barbecue at 12 noon in the church hall.
DERBYSHIRE police are warning the public to be vigilant against computer software fraud.
The constabulary says fraudsters are cold-calling members of the public telling them how there is a problem with their computer or device and are often using the names of well-known companies to commit their crime.
The offenders then direct the individual to a website where they can take control of the computer and download viruses.
The fraudsters are the only ones that have the capability to remove the virus and are then likely to charge a premium rate to do so, a Derbyshire police spokesman said.
Crime prevention advice includes not disclosing personal information to organisations before verifying their credentials and ensuring that computers have up-to-date anti-virus software and fire wall installed.
The police spokesman said: "Banks and financial institutions would never send you an e-mail asking you to click on a link and then confirm your bank details."
Youngsters from Chesapeake FC under-13s decided to raise awareness of cancer as part of their fund-raising this season. The team, who play at Chaddesden Park, had already raised hundreds of pounds to fight prostate and testicular cancer and their efforts this year aimed to support causes relating to the conditions – like national charity Everyman. The team – who won their division – raised £1,135 and their efforts included a Yorkshire Three Peaks-sponsored walk and their fathers taking part in Movember. Awareness was also increased at each home game with balloons and flags on display and football club members wearing prostate cancer T-shirts, selling awareness wristbands and handing out leaflets. The team also won a trophy for being the best Chesapeake squad in the club.
THE following have been fined for not having a television licence:
CHANEL Henry, 26, was fined £200, with £20 victim surcharge, and told to pay £120 costs for an offence on December 4.
CATHERINE Lawes, 30, of Curlew Close, Sinfin, was fined £200 with £20 victim surcharge and told to pay £120 costs for an offence between January 14 and February 15.
ANNETTE Maidens, 46, of Burnage Court, Derby, was fined £200 with £20 victim surcharge and £120 costs for an offence on February 12.
SARAH Mannion, 28, of Courtland Drive, Alvaston, was fined £55 with £20 victim surcharge and £160 costs for an offence between October 14 and November 15.
ANNE McCrudden, 36, of Meynell Street, Derby, was fined £200 with £20 victim surcharge and told to pay £120 costs for an offence on February 17.
KATARZYNA Mirga, 32, of Walbrook Road, Derby, was fined £35, with £20 victim surcharge, and told to pay £120 costs, for an offence on September 26.
HELEN Neil, 40, of St Catherine's Road, Newhall, was fined £200, with £20 victim surcharge, and told to pay £120 costs, for an offence between January 13 and February 14.
REBECCA Lightning, 27, of Thackeray Street, Sinfin, was fined £200 with £20 victim surcharge and told to pay £120 costs for an offence between January 24 and February 15.
KATIE Newbold, 27, of Chestnut Avenue, Midway, was fined £200, with £20 victim surcharge, and told to pay £120 costs, for an offence on February 13.
EMMA Mears, of Bailey Brook Drive, Langley Mill, was fined £200 with £20 victim surcharge and told to pay £120 costs for an offence on December 10.
KAYLEIGH O'Connell, 26, of Randolph Road, Derby, was fined £110, with £20 victim surcharge, and told to pay £120 costs, for an offence on February 13.
ANNE Ogakgole, 60, of Dryden Street, Derby, was fined £71, with £20 victim surcharge, and told to pay £120 costs, for an offence between February 15 and 18.
A VIGILANT engineer at a Derbyshire pre-cast concrete products manufacturer has been rewarded for helping his employer reduce accidents and promote health and safety in the workplace.
Maintenance engineer Gary Hewitt spotted what he thought were potential hazards at pre-cast concrete drainage products manufacturer Stanton Bonna, at Stanton-by-Dale, near Ilkeston, and informed bosses.
The "near-miss hazard alert" scheme, which has been running for eight years, encourages its 132 employees to write on cards details of any near misses – incidents that have the potential to result in injury – or hazard alerts such as unsafe equipment, substances or procedures.
This year the scheme produced a record 728 entries.
Gary won the first prize from a selection of a flat-screen television, a week's paid holiday, a laptop computer or tablet, or weekend for two. He also won third prize of a mobile phone.
For every entry submitted the firm donates £1 to Bennerley Fields Specialist Speech and Language College in Cotmanhay.