Volunteers abseil down cliff for fly-tipped waste in Cornwall

A team of volunteers has abseiled down a 360ft (110m) cliff to collect rubbish thrown over the edge.

The Carbis Bay Crew cleared the fly-tipped waste near Pendeen in west Cornwall.

They found building materials, the remains of an old bathroom and kitchen appliances.

Cornwall Council said "fly-tipping is a real problem", and clear-ups totalled about £250,000 a year.

Delia Webb, from Friends of Portheras Cove, said: "This is a wild and unique coast.

"We have breeding seabirds, we have a healthy population of grey seals, we have dolphins and porpoises locally - the impact of litter, debris and rubbish like this on the marine creatures and nesting birds is massive."

Tim Clarke, who was one of the Carbis Bay Crew who went down the cliff, said: "It's disgusting. There are skips up the road where they probably have to pay £5 to have it chucked away, and they refuse so they come down here and chuck it off the end of the cliff."

The team of climbers, divers and cavers use their skills to help clean up Cornwall.

Cornwall Council said fly-tipping was illegal and it would "usually prosecute anyone found to be doing it".

It urged people to take waste and building rubble to local tips.

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