FLYTIPPERS dumping rubbish along a County Durham lane are being targeted by councils determined to prosecute offenders.

Land along Brusselton Lane is being used as a regular dumping ground for fridge freezers, mattresses and bags of rubbish.

The road stretches between Brusselton, near Bishop Auckland, and Bolam, near Darlington.

Durham County Council and Darlington Borough Council staff are patrolling the area in a bid to catch those responsible.

Councillor Trish Pemberton, who sits on both the county and Shildon town councils, said: “It’s getting worse.

“Some of the mattresses have rats’ nests in and fridge freezers have been dumped.

“We’re asking people to take it to the tip or to arrange for the council to collect it.”

Between January and May this year two incidents of flytipping were reported to the county council.

Darlington Borough Council received five reports of flytipping in the area over the last six months which led to three prosecutions.

A borough council spokesman said: ““We’re aware of the problem and we’ve conducted several investigations.

“We take all reports of fly tipping seriously and are keen to prosecute.”

Ian Hoult, neighbourhood protection manager at the county council, said: “We’re aware of incidents of flytipping in the area.

“We investigate all incidents, looking for evidence of those responsible so we can take appropriate action.”