Fed-up residents have hit out at "lazy" flytippers after metal units and concrete slabs were dumped on a well-used path near their homes.

The haul, which included industrial-type aluminium worktops, a sink, a trolley full of poles and wires as well as concrete chunks, was dumped in the alleyway between Windsor Road and Marie Road in Dorchester.

It is believed to have been left on the path sometime during the morning of Friday, September 28, according to resident Raymond Warr who lives on Marie Road.

Mr Warr, 67, who uses a mobility scooter to get around, said: "I left the house at 6am on Friday and it was clear, then when I came back at 10am it was there. Someone must have done it in broad daylight.

"In the morning you come out and you never know what you are going to find."

Mr Warr can only use the alleyway to travel between the adjoining Cambridge Road and Coburg Road as he says the surrounding pavements become too narrow.

He added: "I had to move the stuff to the side of the path so I could get past. Not a day goes by without something being chucked here."

The pathway is often used by residents, and pupils who walk to the nearby Dorchester Middle and Thomas Hardye schools.

Mary Buckler, 76, who lives directly next to the alleyway on Marie Road said: "I don't know where it's come from but it looks commercial.

"If they are carrying it here why don't they just carry it to the dump? We had some other stuff left further up the path recently. We thought they had cracked it when it came to be cleared.

"My children used to play up and down this alleyway years ago but you couldn't let them out here now, it's dangerous. It's over the last 10 years or so that it's been a problem, people are just so lazy."

Earlier this year, the Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP) launched its new 'Tip-Off' campaign to try and tackle the blight of flytipping, which saw a series of roadshows take place across the county. DWP officers talked to residents about the issue and informed them about how they can report and prevent illegally dumped rubbish.

Speaking about the specific incident, Gemma Clinton, head of service (strategy) at the Dorset Waste Partnership, said: "This isn’t a known hot-spot for fly-tipping, but the dumped items could have been taken to any number of scrap metal merchants in the area.

"The DWP is working hard to combat fly-tipping around the county. Our enforcement team are out and about investigating fly-tips, working closely with Dorset Police and taking more action than ever before.

"Fly-tipping is a blight on our beautiful county. We’re taking the problem very seriously and will continue to work toward eradicating this illegal activity."