by Neil Millard

neil.millard@essnmedia.co.uk

When Angela Leslie-Miller found 150 tyres dumped, blocking the front of the driveway to hers and neighbours' garages she thought she would be helpful and move them out the way.

She piled them against a fence but is now wondering why she didn't just move them the other way onto the payment as she faces having to pay if she wants them removed.

Because they are on private land the council is refusing to come and get rid of the tyres.

But if they were on the pavement they would be obliged to collect them.

Angela was expecting to get a sympathetic response from Croydon Council when she called to report the fly-tipping.

However, after initially being told the tyres would be collected, she was then informed they were her problem.

Angela, from Grove Road, Thornton Heath, said: "I have been having this on-going dispute with the council about who's responsibility it is.

"I told them that had my partner and I just pushed the tyres onto the pavement that night, nobody would have been able to walk along it.

"So we rolled the tyres further onto the private driveway because there was nothing else we could do at 1am."

She regrets ever trying to do what she thought at the time was best for the community.

"I have told them I wish I had just rolled them onto the pavement," she admitted.

Worse still Angela fears the dumped tyres could pose a fire hazard.

"I'm actually surprised that nobody has set fire to them," she said.

"If it does happen then the fence will go up and it will take the house next to it with it."

While angry with the council, Anglea is disgusted at whoever dumped the tyres there in the first place.

"Fly-tipping is so nasty and antisocial," she said.

The tyres were originally dumped on July 27 and have remained there ever since.

A spokeswoman said there was little Croydon Council could do.

She explained: "While we have sympathy with the residents' situation, as the fly-tipping is being carried out on private land there is little the council can do other than help and support the landowner in initiating action against those responsible."