ROGUE tippers have 'ruined' a beauty spot loved by walkers after dumping 500 tyres over a three-mile stretch of land.

Six piles of car tyres were found behind the dry stone walls lining Tockholes Road, in Roddlesworth, yesterday morning.

At one site, near the West Pennine Moors information centre and cafe, the tyres are piled 15ft high.

Coun Jean Rigby, who represents Tockholes on Blackburn with Darwen Council, said the area was loved by families and dog walkers.

She added: "I am absolutely appalled.

"Every tyre the council shifts costs money.

"There has been a spate of this kind of thing in Edgworth, but not on this scale.

"I can't believe it, but maybe it's being targeted because of the rural location and because it's a quiet road."

The man who found the tyres did not want to be named, but said: "I come up here almost every day and was appalled at what I saw.

"Somebody can't be bothered to dispose of them properly or doesn't want to pay to do it.

"Nowhere is the right place to do this, but especially not ruining such a beautiful place like this.

"My guess, with the number of piles and how they're situated, is that the culprits have come across the border to Blackburn and Darwen to get rid."

Arthur Gibson, 75, visits the area with his family three times a year from Birmingham.

He said: "We've been walking to the tower and seen the tyres on our way.

"It's terrible, disgusting.

"I have two grandkids with me and they wouldn't even throw a wrapper on the floor.

"There's too many tyres for an individual or a garage - it has to be the work of a distributor."

Local councils have the responsibility to clear dumped waste on public land and can prosecute fly-tippers if they are traced. But the Environment Agency ma be called in to deal with large amounts of waste or waste which is toxic.

Robert Ormisher was visiting Tockholes from Brindle for the first time in several years with his family.

He said: "We've had the same problem where we live with tyres and the council won't move them because they say that they're on private land.

"We need more local bobbies going around and looking out for these things."

Tyre dumping has become a major issue since the EU Landfill Directive banned the disposal of tyres to landfill.

Whole tyres were banned from July 2003 and shredded tyres from July 2006.

United Utilities was today trying to determine whether it owns the land where the dumping has taken place.

Through its subsidiary North West Water, United Utilities owns around 40 per cent of the West Pennine Moor for water catchment.

A spokesperson for Tidy Britain said: "There is a problem of businesses dumping tyres and they face harsh penalties - a fine up to £50,000 and prison sentences of up to five years.

"We encourage members of the public to report incidents they see and work with councils to enforce laws."