Three Greater Manchester boroughs have unfortunately claimed place in the list of the UK’s top 10 fly-tipping hotspots.
There’s absolutely no denying that fly-tipping has becoming an increasing issue in recent years, with the UK’s rubbish problem piling up… literally. And now new analysis of Government data has revealed that councils in England dealt with more than 2.7 million fly-tipping incidents in the past year.
In theory, this is the equivalent of more than 7,397 illegal dumps every single day.
The research, which has been conducted by garage clearance company, Rainbow Rubbish Removals, ranked local authorities on the scale of their littering crisis, looking at the number of waste and land incidents, as well as the total amount of fines issued.
This was all in a bid to find out who has earned the unwelcome title of Britain’s fly-tipping capital – and it’s not pleasant news for Greater Manchester.
ADVERTISEMENT
Three Greater Manchester boroughs have been named in the UK’s top 10 fly-tipping hotspots / Credit: Alan Stanton (via Flickr)
Thankfully though, while three boroughs in our region have found themselves on the top 10 list, they’re not right near the top and actually claim the last three places – with Oldham at number eight, Manchester at number nine, and Bolton in the tenth spot.
Oldham recorded 479.28 fly-tipping incidents per 10,000 residents, Manchester recorded 348.36, and Bolton had 503.36.
ADVERTISEMENT
While Bolton recorded the most incidents out of the three local regions, it actually dished out the least amount of fines for the incidents, hence why it falls below below Oldham and Manchester.
Claiming the non-so-favourable title of the UK’s fly-tipping capital is Lewisham.
Top 10 Fly-tipping Hotspots in the UK
Lewisham
Newcastle
Westminster
Peterborough
Newham
Hammersmith and Fulham
Brent
Oldham
Manchester
Bolton
Several other boroughs in London also found themselves in the top 10, with Westminster, Newham, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Brent all featuring.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Fly-tipping isn’t just an ugly blot on the landscape, it’s a stubborn public health risk and an environmental time bomb,” commented Miroslav Radov, who is a waste expert at Rainbow Rubbish Removals.
“Our findings reveal a worrying pattern in big cities, especially London [and Greater Manchester].
“If action isn’t stepped up, these areas could become permanent dumping grounds, with taxpayers footing the clean-up bill year after year.
“Solving this crisis means more than just sweeping up the mess – it calls for tougher penalties that bite, more accessible waste disposal options, and a cultural shift where people take real responsibility for the rubbish they create.”
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
News
Police appeal after man is found with unexplained ‘serious injuries’ in Manchester’s Chinatown
Emily Sergeant
Police are appealing for information after a man is found with unexplained ‘serious injuries’ in Manchester’s Chinatown.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that at around 4:50am this past Saturday (26 September), officers were called to Nicholas Street near the Pagoda in Manchester’s Chinatown, where a man was found seriously injured.
The man was quickly rushed to hospital, where he remains receiving treatment while police work to establish the full circumstances surrounding how he came to sustain his injuries.
At this stage, GMP believes there is ‘no wider risk to the community’, however detectives are ‘keeping an open mind’ as enquiries continue.
No arrests have been made at this time, and the man’s identity has not been publicly released.
While enquiries continue at pace, GMP has issued a public appeal for witnesses in a bid to uncover information on the incident.
Detectives say they are are appealing for anyone who was in the area around the Pagoda in Chinatown between 3am and 5am on Saturday 26 September.
Anyone who may have witnessed anything that could assist the investigation is urged to come forward.
Can you help? Anyone with information, or relevant CCTV, dashcam or mobile phone footage, is asked to contact police on 101 or via LiveChat, quoting log 578 of 26/09/2026.
Featured Image – GMP
News
‘Enough is enough’ – Andy Burnham issues emphatic statement on Avanti West Coast nationalisation
Emily Sergeant
Avanti West Coast is set to be nationalised from next spring, the Government has confirmed.
After it was revealed back in 2024 to be the UK’s most ‘unreliable’ train operator, according to a shocking study, with 15.36% of its trains cancelled or delayed on average, it has now been confirmed that Avanti – which runs the West Coast Main Line from Manchester to London – will be transferred over to public ownership in March 2027.
Before this, the company had previously been given until 1 April 2023 to continue running the route, but was told it needed to ‘drastically improve’ its services if it was to stand any chance of having the contract extended further beyond that date.
Despite many customers continuing to voice discontent with level of services during this time, the Department for Transport (DfT) under the previous Conservative government deemed ‘significant improvements had been made’.
Avanti West Coast is set to be nationalised from next spring / Credit: Avanti (Press Images)
Now though, in the year 2026 with a Labour government in power at Prime Minister Andy Burnham at the helm, it has been confirmed that Avanti West Coast will be nationalised.
The Government says the services will be ‘run in the interests of passengers, not private sector shareholders’.
“From 7 March, taxpayers will no longer be paying fees to a private operator. Instead, every penny will be spent for the benefit of passengers,” the Labour Party said in a statement.
Andy Burnham has also issued his own emphatic statement on the matter.
Enough is enough.
For years, people have been expected to put up with Avanti’s cancellations, delays, overcrowding, and a service that has failed them time and time again.
So my Labour government is bringing Avanti West Coast into public ownership at the earliest opportunity in…
He wrote on X: “Enough is enough. For years, people have been expected to put up with Avanti’s cancellations, delays, overcrowding, and a service that has failed them time and time again.
“So my Labour government is bringing Avanti West Coast into public ownership at the earliest opportunity in March next year. That means passengers, not shareholders, will come first.
“More investment, fewer delays, and a renewed focus on getting the basics right.
“We’re putting essential services back in public hands and building a railway that actually works for the people who use it.”
Andy Mellors, who is the Managing Director at Avanti West Coast, added in his own statement: “Over the coming months, we’ll work closely with the Government to ensure a seamless transition into public ownership while remaining focused on delivering for our customers and communities.”
Emily Sergeant -
18th August 2025 
