Huge pile of rubbish dumped outside Preston church now includes animal carcasses

Animal remains are the latest addition to a Preston fly-tipping grot spot as the swamp of trash remains unremoved - seven days after it was first reported.
By Laura Longworth
Published 11th Feb 2022, 04:55 BST
Updated 23rd Feb 2022, 11:02 BST
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The Lancashire Post reported last week that several mattresses, a bed, a sofa and piles of clothes, bags, cardboard and other rubbish have been dumped outside the Grade II-listed St Luke's Church in Curwen Street.

Fly-tippers have continued to abuse the area in the seven days since it was reported to Preston City Council, which claimed to be investigating the issue and contacting the site’s private landowners.

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Animal carcasses have also been discarded there, despite staff at Deepdale Neurological Rehabilitation Centre care home on nearby Fletcher Road expressing concerns that the growing pile could attract rodents.

The land outside the Grade II-listed St Luke's Church in Curwen Street, Preston, has been turned into a fly-tipping grot spot.The land outside the Grade II-listed St Luke's Church in Curwen Street, Preston, has been turned into a fly-tipping grot spot.
The land outside the Grade II-listed St Luke's Church in Curwen Street, Preston, has been turned into a fly-tipping grot spot.
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Several Lancashire Post readers have also expressed disgust at the squalid scene following last week’s report, with Jane McCreedy saying: “Why aren't the council tackling this issue? It’s becoming an embarrassing, scruffy city.

“The problem continues to get worse. If only the council would be more active with zero tolerance - issue hefty fines for fly-tipping, abuse of waste bins etc - it would be financially better off and we would reap the benefits of a cleaner city.

“I've had to contact the council often due to rubbish in the back alleys, bins being stolen and filled with mixed rubbish, black bin bags left out in heaps. It’s so disheartening.

Animal carcasses have been added to the rubbish piles since they were reported to Preston City Council seven days ago.Animal carcasses have been added to the rubbish piles since they were reported to Preston City Council seven days ago.
Animal carcasses have been added to the rubbish piles since they were reported to Preston City Council seven days ago.
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“Contacting the council, I was informed they are so over-stretched with only one [enforcement] officer. [It] just doesn't make sense.”

Stephen Geraghty responded: “Why can’t people just not be scumbags instead? And when council tax rises (again) it'll be because of things like this. The city isn't scruffy - the feral scumbags that don't care are.”

Katie Bleasdale-Pugh, however, believes the council’s disposal service requires improvement, and says she was told it would take two weeks to collect an unwanted sofa from her home.

Katie added: “In the end, we managed to get someone to take it for us. Whilst I think fly-tipping is a disgrace, I don’t think the council helps.

A sofa is also among the piles of rubbish that have been left outside St Andrew's Church.A sofa is also among the piles of rubbish that have been left outside St Andrew's Church.
A sofa is also among the piles of rubbish that have been left outside St Andrew's Church.
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“Maybe an update or guidance on current waiting times on websites would help people make proper plans?”

A Preston City Council spokesperson said: “An enforcement notice has been served on the owners of this site with an instruction to clear the debris. We understand the owners are on site securing the property and all waste will be removed in the coming days.”