COMPRESSED bales of waste were dumped on a North-East cycle path at the weekend, blocking off an entire road tunnel.

The stinking mess was photographed on Sunday morning by cyclist and Northern Echo reader Mike Gibson, 63, at the tunnel under the A66 near the roundabout, west of Sadberge, near Darlington.

It is the latest incident of industrial-scale fly-tipping in County Durham and North Yorkshire in recent weeks and The Environment Agency has already launched an investigation.

Police issued a warning earlier this month after waste disguised as hay bales were dumped at a farmer's field near Bishop Auckland.

In September 40 tonnes of waste and a further 100 large bale bags were left to rot in the countryside across County Durham and North Yorkshire.

This included 40 tonnes dumped in the Bishop Auckland, 20 bales dumped near Northallerton and 80 bales left in Sadberge, near Darlington.

Mr Gibson, of Middleton-St-George, near Darlington, explained he was cycling under the same tunnel about a month ago and on that occasion serious amounts of waste, including sofas, blocked the tunnel.

He said: "It seems like they have purposely blocked off the tunnel. This is what the council are up against. The council have put up camera signs, but no cameras.

"Perhaps it is too expensive but moving this rubbish and the one in the same place a month ago won't be cheap."

Mr Gibson, a quantity surveyor, said the problem of littering on cycle routes appears to be getting worse, even when the authorities provide bins.

He said: "I hate littering, but I see it all the time. I go along the old railway line and there's a solid litter box near the Fighting Cocks (at Middleton-St-George) and you see McDonald's wrappers all around it."

Fly-tipping incidents can be reported to the Environment Agency on 0800-807060.