RESIDENTS in Cinderford have said that they are ‘horrified’ by the discovery of a quantity of material, apparently fly-tipped on land off Valley Road, which they claim is asbestos.

The material, encased in plastic bags marked ‘danger – asbestos’ were found by one local man, out walking with his seven-year-old daughter.

The father, who did not wish to be named, told the Review: “I took my daughter out for a walk in the woods on Sunday, and found that there had been a lot of rubbish dumped on our favourite path, just along from Forest Breakers, opposite the Severn Trent pumping station.

“But what shocked me was that some of it was wrapped in bags that clearly stated that the contents were asbestos. I dread to think what would have happened if that is the fact and the local children had found it and decided to play with it.”

He added: “It’s just appalling that people think they can dump rubbish, including possibly toxic waste, in the Forest. Whoever they are, they must know that this is wrong. I urge anyone who saw this dumping taking place to contact the police and the district council. These people need to be brought to justice.”

More fly tipping has also been noted on the Yorkley to Parkend road, where a quantity of hardened cement in bags had been left, and also at Moseley Green, where patio slabs had been dumped.

One theory is possibly that local building contractors, who are ending projects before they take their holiday break, are taking the opportunity to empty their trucks and vans of waste material, by fly-tipping it at the nearest secluded location.

A spokeswoman from Forest of Dean District Council told the Review that a street team were investigating the possible asbestos tipping.