Livestock harmed by discarded litter

Mr Irwin said that looking around the countryside, it was clear that littering has reached a concerning level and he urged the public to be more responsible.

He stated: “This is a concerning issue and especially so when you consider that a farmer has had to pay out for expensive veterinary treatment for their sick animals, that have been unfortunate enough to ingest items of discarded litter thrown into fields.

“The level of littering that I see in the countryside is certainly cause for concern and the problems it presents can be very costly indeed as this farmer has now experienced.”

He added, “I was disappointed when I learned of this incident and being out and about in my constituency on a daily basis, I can see how easily this can happen as there is a culture of littering which is sadly growing worse by the month. I know that the local ABC Borough Council has tasked a private company to try and tackle littering, however this work appears to be targeted at areas with a high footfall such as town centres. Those litter enforcement officers, who have the powers to issue on the spot fines, would be also advised to spend time in country areas where fly tipping and verge side littering is also a huge problem.

“I would again urge the public to report any sightings of littering to their local Environmental Health Officals and also quickly report any fly tipping and littering in fields, as livestock can easily ingest this material and can become unwell very quickly.”