East Hampshire District Council is investigating an abandoned skip and its contents which were left on the A339 near Alton.

After a recent spate of fly-tipping incidents in the district, this example of fly-skipping has taken the problem to another level.

The skip contains building materials - including rubble, cables and wood - and tyres.

A spokesperson for East Hampshire District Council said: “We don't know the detail of what's in the skip as it may be unsafe to dig through it but we estimate it contains around eight tons of waste.

“We expect it to be removed by the end of this week, by Friday, November 14.”

Cllr Tony Costigan - the portfolio holder for investment property at East Hampshire District Council, which includes neighbourhood quality - said: “Fly-tips are all too frequent in East Hampshire, but it's rare for a skip to be abandoned in this way as the skip itself has a value.

"I'm hopeful that someone saw the skip being moved around in the area or being dropped and can let us know where it came from."

A builder’s skip such as this one costs around £500 to buy.

Anyone with information about the tip - or who may have left it there - should email [email protected] or call 01730 266551.

If a fly-tip is blocking a road, call Hampshire County Council on 0300 555 1388 between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, or call 101 outside those hours.

Anyone who sees a fly-tipping offence being committed should call the police on 101.

The East Hampshire spokesperson added: “Please be aware that fly-tips can contain dangerous and hazardous materials, so for your own safety we ask you not to touch any tip you may find. Also, please do not remove anything from the fly-tip as this could compromise evidence that could help with a prosecution.”