FURIOUS East Dorset residents living near a Bournemouth tip but banned from using it were planning to stage a rally outside its entrance on September 11.

Up to 50 members and supporters of the Ferndown, West Parley and Longham Action Group were due to picket Millhams Lane household recycling centre and hand over a petition.

Householders living near the tip are incensed following a controversial decision by Bournemouth Borough Council allowing only borough residents access to it.

Although people in Ferndown, West Parley and Longham live only minutes away from Millhams, they have been told that they must now use a Dorset County Council controlled tip over in Wimborne.

Disabled resident Colin Hovers, of Parley Close, created the action group.

"We are campaigning against the exclusion of East Dorset residents from Bournemouth council's Millhams tip," said the 73-year-old.

"The object of the rally today is to present a petition of about 150 signatures to the management of the tip to be passed onto Bournemouth's chief executive.

"We want Bournemouth council to reverse its decision. One reason for this request is that we've been using Millhams for more than 20 years.

"The second reason is that the Brook Road tip site in Wimborne is totally unsuitable. It just isn't big enough and is usually closed because its skips are full."

But council bosses at Bournemouth say they had no choice but to impose the ban for East Dorset residents, to try and cut down the amount of rubbish being left at Millhams, which they claim is putting the site under increasing pressure.

Only Bournemouth residents showing proof of address can now use the site.

First published: September 11