CLEAN-UP teams from Wrexham and Buckley joined forces to remove more than 1.5 tons of rubbish from a fly-tipping hotspot in Llay.
Members of staff from the Environment Agency Wales' Buckley office and Wrexham Council workers undertook a one-day clean up of Singret Brook, an area of ancient woodland that is an important tributary of the River Alyn.
Fly-tipping was seriously affecting the flow of the brook, and workers targeted the stretch which runs through the Dingle Wood in Llay.
To help tackle the problem, officers from the two authorities decided the best way to get rid of the rubbish was to roll up their sleeves, pull on their wellies and drag it out themselves.
Llay-based waste companies Shanks Waste Solutions and SITA UK both assisted in the operation by providing a skip and free waste disposal.
The area has been designated an Environmental Crime Watch area, and Agency officials are warning fly-tippers that they will face harsh fines if they continue to pollute the brook. Residents have also been encouraged to report incidences of fly-tipping to try and deter people who dump waste.
Environment Agency Wales officer Neil Culff said: 'The day was a huge success and the improvements were immediately obvious, with more than 1,600kg of material being removed from the watercourse.
'The next objective is to educate people that disposing of waste, either domestic or trade, by throwing it in the nearest stream or river is unacceptable in this day and age.'
Andy Lewis, chief public protection officer for Wrexham Council, said: 'There are simply no excuses for people to dispose of their waste in areas like this.
'We want to remind people that the area is regularly monitored and anyone caught disposing of waste will face the possibility of a hefty fine.'
* To report an environmental crime, contact the Environment Agency on the free hotline number 0800 807060
