An urgent investigation was launched by Wandsworth Council's flytip squad into how a lorry load of waste was brought from an address in Merton and dumped on Putney Common.

The huge flytip was discovered just after 9am in Willow Farm Lane on December 18 – a small access road that crosses Putney Common.

And during their investigations into how it got there, evidence was found linking some of the waste to an address in Merton. Officers in the flytip squad will now be working with their counterparts in that borough with a view to prosecuting the householder.

The maximum penalty that can be imposed by the courts following conviction for a serious flytip offence like this is an unlimited fine and/or a prison sentence of up to five years.

Wandsworth’s environment spokesman Cllr Steffi Sutters said: “Councils up and down the country are working flat out to tackle these illegal activities but this discovery in Putney shows just what we are up against.

“Unfortunately too many householders are all too willing to pay a cut price fee to professional flytippers and turn a blind eye to where their waste will end up.

“Only a few days ago we saw another incident in Balham where a huge pile of DIY waste was driven just over a mile and then dumped on a nearby housing estate.

“These householders may not realise they are doing anything wrong – but in reality they are committing a serious criminal offence for which they could be heavily fined or even sent to jail.

“If you want bulky waste removed please use a licensed operator or call the council which will do the job for a reasonable fee.”