PILES of furniture and other rubbish are building up on a residential street as more and more people use it as a makeshift dump.

People living near Brook Mews, behind Brook Parade, Chigwell, say the road's garages are being blocked and the area is becoming an eyesore because of fly-tipping, but the district council has done nothing to clear the mess.

Rita Payne, 77, of nearby Dickens Rise, said: “It's a disgusting state of affairs. Two or three of the neighbours phoned up the council before Christmas, but nothing seems to have been done.

“It's been a mess for three to four weeks, but it's gradually grown.”

She added that the lane, which provides access to the back of shops in Brook Parade, had been used for fly-tipping in the past and she had even seen a man dumping rubbish there on his way home from the gym.

As well as the fly-tipping, residents have had to cope with their rubbish building up for three weeks because of the snow and Christmas and New Year bank holidays.

Another Dickens Rise resident, Patricia Kelland, 71, whose house backs on to Brook Parade, added: “There's a three-piece suite and building rubble and a skip full of stuff.

“I think people are just taking advantage and dumping stuff there. It's spread across about five garages now. A couple are open with rubbish strewn into them.”

Her neighbour, John Blakeney, 66, said the council should find out who is dumping the rubbish and fine them.

“It's an absolute eyesore,” he added. “It's been out for over a month. If anyone was seen putting rubbish anywhere else in Chigwell, they would be fined.”

A district council spokesman said: "(Brook Mews) is on private land, so it's up to the land owner to clear the rubbish."

He added that the council had gone through the rubbish and could not find enough evidence to prosecute the fly-tippers.

Anyone with information about the fly-tipping can call the council on 01992 564000.