THE borough of Lewisham has the fourth highest amount of flytipping in the country, according to a report.

Lewisham Council spent £1,592,780 on dealing with 53,896 incidents of flytipping in the past financial year, according to figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

This is one incident for every five Lewisham residents.

By contrast, Greenwich Council reported just 5,342 incidents, spending £281,834 on the problem.

Lewisham also launched 38 successful prosecutions for dumping waste illegally over the same period.

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Lee Green Cllr Brian Robson said: “This is just proof of what many local residents know - flytipping is at epidemic proportions.”

But a spokesman for Lewisham Council said: “Lewisham has a rigorous approach towards tackling flytipping in the borough.

“As well as prosecutions, we issue legal cautions where offences warrant them, as well as Fixed Penalty Notices in less severe instances. Where we obtain definitive evidence of illegal flytipping we will take action.”