Two more people arrested over 'infamous' illegal dump site in Kidlington

Tuesday, 8 September 2026 20:29

Two more men have been arrested over a huge illegal dump site in Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

Estimated at 150m long, 15m wide and 10m high, the site between the River Cherwell and the A34 made headlines last year.

The Environment Agency (EA) said in August it had finally cleared the site, removing an estimated 22,000 tonnes of household waste and commercial rubbish.

Specialist teams shifted up to 30 lorry loads of material a day from the site.

Four people were arrested in late 2025 and early this year, but the EA said on Tuesday a 21-year-old man from Ashford, Surrey, and a 43-year-old man from Stanwell, Surrey, had also been detained.

The pair have now been released on bail while investigations continue.

Dumping stopped at the "infamous site" in late October 2025 after a cease-and-desist letter was issued, the EA said.

Sky News has reported on the growing problem of waste crime.

Fly-tipping has become an issue of increasing public concern as criminal gangs try to make a profit by presenting themselves as private refuse collectors while disposing of waste illegally.

Read more from Sky News:
Three arrested after fatal 'hit-and-run' near airport
One-year-old given world-first treatment for rare skull condition

Last October, the Lords' environment committee warned gangs were illegally dumping millions of tonnes of waste across the countryside every year.

"These arrests are another vital step in collecting new evidence and delivering justice for the residents of Kidlington," said Colin Chiverton, the Environment Agency's area manager for the Thames.

Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said the arrests showed "years of waste crime being allowed to fester have ended".

Sky News

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