Litter anger

A woman from Mayfield has raised concerns about what she sees as a rise in littering in her area in the past year and is calling on action to be taken.

Catherine Mccolm. (Left) with her friend Jackie Drummond (R) Catherine is with her Grandson Zander Moore (4). They are unhappy with the large amount of rubbish strewn around the area near Langlaw Road in Mayfield 26/2/18

Jackie Drummond (35) is concerned that the situation on land in the middle of Langlaw Road and the paths off it, including at the top of lane at the old Easthouses pit, is getting out of hand. She has genuine health and safety concerns about the problem and wants something done about it.

The spiritual medium said: “The paths and the road are just as bad as each other.

“I have never seen it so bad. It’s just terrible.

Jackie Drummond and her friend Catherine Mccolm. Catherine is with her Grandson Zander Moore (4). They are unhappy with the large amount of rubbish strewn around the area near Langlaw Road in Mayfield 26/2/18

“When the grass cutters from the council come they just cut the grass and leave the litter. I understand that’s not their job but surely they should pass on what they see to the relevant department at the council.

“There is broken glass, cans of lager, bits of food, all sorts in there.”

Jackie believes littering in her area has become a bigger issue in the past year and she wants to be pro-active in eradicating the issue.

She said: “I have noticed it has got a lot worse over the last year. I have lived here for 30 years and I have never seen litter disposed like that in the street. It’s disgusting.

Catherine Mccolm. (Left) with her friend Jackie Drummond (R) Catherine is with her Grandson Zander Moore (4). They are unhappy with the large amount of rubbish strewn around the area near Langlaw Road in Mayfield

“I have no idea where it comes from. It’s maybe wheelie bins blowing over. It’s just not healthy.

“I’m trying to arrange to get a crowd of local people to do a litter pick-up. But I’m worried about that as well, in case there are needles lying about. It’s maybe not safe.

“I don’t know what the answer is. Better education in local schools? More buckets in the area?”

Jackie believes that the litter has added to an ongoing problem with rats in the area.

Jackie Drummond and her friend Catherine Mccolm. Catherine is with her Grandson Zander Moore (4). They are unhappy with the large amount of rubbish strewn around the area near Langlaw Road in Mayfield 26/2/18

She said: “There are rats there. There has been a problem with rats here for a while. But this is only going to make that situation a lot worse.

“I don’t know whose land it is but I would assume it’s the council, particularly the land in the middle of the road.”

The land does indeed belong to Midlothian Council, which has admitted that littering is an issue in Mayfield and promised to tackle the problem later this month.

A council spokesman said: “Having looked at the area and listened to residents, the litter issue is really at Old Pit Brae.

“Our land and countryside service does recognise this is an ongoing problem there. It does, however, plan to do a litter pick in mid-March prior to the grass cutting.”