'It's f*****g Dumbryden' - Edinburgh fly-tipper caught on camera 'dismissive' of dumping waste in Wester Hailes street

A man has been caught on camera apparently fly-tipping in an Edinburgh street.

Serge Cornu filmed as concrete slabs were dumped from the back of the white Transit van in Dumbryden Gardens in Wester Hailes, at around 2:30pm on Friday - after hearing the noise from his home.

Serge, 41, said: “I just approached him and used my best British accent to say ‘oi,’ and told him this was fly-tipping. Initially I just wanted to approach it and film the licence plate but something got to me - his dismissive attitude towards the area.

“Once I stopped filming he said ‘it is f*****g Dumbryden, so I said ‘it’s not f*****g Dumbryden, it’s Dumbryden’ and started filming again.

The confrontation in Wester Hailes was caught on camera on Friday afternoon. Video/Pic: Serge Cornu

“I am French but I have lived in Wester Hailes for more than 10 years and it gets a bad name but it has a good community spirit.”

The 41-year-old, who is originally from an area just outside Paris, said he could hear another man’s voice from inside the vehicle during the confrontation.

He claimed that, after stopping filming for a second time, one of them came towards him holding a spade and told him ‘I know where you live.’

When Serge got back inside his home, the van - registration number SG56 ZRC - had gone but the waste had been left behind.

Serge, who says fly-tipping happens regularly in the area, added: “I was not surprised by his response to being approached but I feel it’s a shame that certain areas are being seen as dumping grounds with no respect for local people who live there.

“Wester Hailes may have a bad name but we are victims of these people, these parasites.”

In Scotland, there is a £200 fine for fly-tipping and, if the case goes to court, someone convicted could be fined up to £40,000 and/ or imprisoned for up to a year.

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, environment convener, said: “It’s always so disappointing to hear of people fly-tipping with no consideration of their surroundings and the people who live there.

"We never tolerate it and work with Police Scotland to make sure that appropriate action is taken when this occurs. You can report any fly tipping you are aware of quickly, easily and anonymously on our website – www.edinburgh.gov.uk/flytipping.”

Police have been contacted for comment.

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