Dearne councillor May Noble says fly-tipping onto the disused railway line on Railway View in Goldthorpe is a constant source of embarrassment.

The area is notorious for tipping and has cost Network Rail thousands in clean-ups.

Plans to fill in the cutting and create a nature walk all the way to the former Barnburgh pit site were scrapped after the last general election, after Yorkshire Forward, which was to pay for the scheme, was abolished by the government.

Coun Noble wants residents to report any fly-tipping they witness but re-iterates the land is not the council's responsibility.

She said: "It is an absolute disgrace there but it is people from our area who are doing it and are bringing the whole town down.

"It's a constant eyesore for the people of Goldthorpe and if people see who's doing it then they need to report them, whether it's a registration plate or if they know their names.

"The land belongs to Network Rail and we have contacted them to tidy it up again. Every time they do then there is a fridge or something similar back there the week later."

There is a council tip at Highgate but people would need a permit for items such as fridges. Still, Coun Noble argues that process is less difficult than physically throwing it over the fence.

Network Rail themselves recognise it as one of their main problem areas. A spokesman said: "We have spent more than £65,000 clearing the rubbish twice at the disused line close to Railway View, Goldthorpe.

"We have also spent another £8,000 putting up a 2.1m green powder coated fence to deter fly tipping.

"That some individuals continue to break the law and throw rubbish onto our land is a source of great frustration and we continue to work with the council to find and prosecute them."