Taxpayers foot £15m bill to clean horror fly-tip in ancient woodland

The site was targeted by organised criminals over six months in 2023.Taxpayers have been left with a £15million bill to clear an illegal rubbish dump in an ancient Kent woodland after criminal gangs dumped almost 40,000 tonnes of waste there. The 15-month operation at Hoads Wood, near Ashford, has removed 39,500 tonnes of rubbish from the protected beauty spot, where waste was piled up to 15ft high.