ILLEGAL dumping of waste has fallen dramatically in Oxfordshire, latest Government figures show.

The number of incidents of flytipping across the county in 2008/09 was 4,383 – down 30 per cent from the 6,276 recorded the previous year.

The reduction was even more marked in Oxford, where incidents halved from 3,566 to 1,773 year on year.

A breakdown of the figures, released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, showed Oxford still had to deal with the largest number of flytipping incidents in the county last year.

In second place, with 746 incidents, was South Oxfordshire, down from 836 year on year.

Vale of White Horse and West Oxfordshire also recorded reductions in flytipping.

However, Cherwell saw cases of illegal dumping rise from 616 in 2007/08 to 670 in 2008/09.

A spokeswoman for Oxford City Council said: “We are pleased the hard work on tackling flytipping in the city is seeing some results.

“We are taking more action against people who fly-tip, which means we have issued warning letters to people, fixed penalty notices and taken two cases to court.

“We hope this is a deterrent to other people. Flytipping is not only an offence, but also an eyesore and can be a danger. We hope in the coming year our hard work will again see a slight reduction in fly-tipping in the city.”

Flytippers can be fined up to £50,000, or jailed for up to five years, for illegally dumping their waste if taken to court – and repeat offenders can be given antisocial behaviour orders. An on-the-spot fine of £100 can be given to those who leave their rubbish out on the wrong day, or in the wrong container.

Early last year, the Oxford Mail revealed the county council would be spending more than £800,000 clearing the large illegal tip near Redbridge Hollow, South Oxford.

A spokesman said: “The council is scheduled to begin the removal of waste fly-tipped near Redbridge Hollow in the near future.”

FURNITURE dumped outside a charity shop left managers to foot the bill for its disposal.

The worthless sofas and chairs were dumped at the Sobell House hospice shop in Kidlington High Street.

Spokesman Kevin Game said: “The furniture, which could not be sold due to its terrible condition, was left at the back of the Sobell charity shop and greeted the management when they arrived in the morning.

“They contacted the police regarding the rubbish being dumped, but were told it was a matter for the council, who agreed to remove it but wouldn’t be able to do it for a number of days.

“The charity shop would like to appeal to its supporters not to dump furniture and goods outside the shop outside of opening hours as they have to pay to dispose of any goods they are unable to sell.”