IT IS a major blot on the landscape – two ever-growing piles of rubbish dumped by fly tippers in Comet countryside. Now Stevenage MP Barbara Follett says she is determined to get the eyesore cleared and, hopefully, find those responsible. For months every

IT IS a major blot on the landscape - two ever-growing piles of rubbish dumped by fly tippers in Comet countryside.

Now Stevenage MP Barbara Follett says she is determined to get the eyesore cleared and, hopefully, find those responsible.

For months everything from builders' rubble, old kitchens, furniture and electrical appliances including cookers and fridges have been dumped on land at the side of the lane.

"The fly-tipping in Old Knebworth Lane is a disgrace and has made me angry for years," said the MP.

"At one time people used to dump old cars there and this so incensed me that I helped to introduce the abandoned car legislation into the House of Commons in 2001.

"Depending on which bit of the lane you are in, Stevenage Borough Council or North Herts District Council are responsible for clearing the mess away.

"The Government has strengthened the law and brought in new penalties for fly-tipping but it is very hard and expensive to trace the culprits.

"I am talking to both councils to try and find a way of catching the tippers, either in the act or by tracing them through their debris."

The dumping spots are in fact in NHDC territory who said this week: "We are aware there is a problem in this area and we will increase our monitoring of these sites including deployment of mobile CCTV if necessary.

"Some is on private land therefore the responsibility of the landowner and at present we are trying to establish who the landowner is at these locations.