Mess left at a site that had been occupied by Travellers in Dundee has been labelled “a disgrace” by a community leader.
Items left at Jack Martin Way, near Fintry, included burst rubbish bags, discarded soiled nappies and gravel.
A burnt-out caravan, which appeared to have been torched, was also left behind.
Ron Neave, chairman of Fintry Community Council, said the health of the people who were tasked with cleaning up the site was being put at risk.
He said: “The rubbish that has been left at the Jack Martin Way site is a disgrace — it has got to the stage where it is affecting the community and impacting their lives.
“I hate to think if you go back over the last three years just how many thousands have been spent on the clean-up, fixing damage and moving Travellers on.”
He said that the city couldn’t afford to keep picking up the bill every time a site was left in a mess like this in Dundee.
He added: “It is putting people at risk and the people that have to clean up after them are at risk of becoming ill — especially because of the human waste that we are seeing being left behind at the sites.
“It is about time the Scottish Government took action because the council’s efforts are not working.
“We have got to get it through to them — it is impacting local people’s lives.”
The city’s housing convenor, Councillor John Alexander, said he “shares everyone’s frustration” about the site at Jack Martin Way.
The area has been used regularly by Travellers and the most recent group moved on in the last few days.
He said: “Clearly any debris that is left or any rubbish that isn’t being picked up is unacceptable.
“I don’t care whether it’s a Traveller or if it is someone who lives in a house — everyone should be tidying up after themselves.
“They should be respecting our land and respecting our city and that is the bottom line.
“We have been trying to work with groups in the city to the benefit of the taxpayer. It has had some success, but it hasn’t been as successful in some areas — it is a work in progress.
“The current method of just moving the Travellers from area to area isn’t working.
“I think what we need to do is to find a solution that everyone can get on board with and one that everyone is happy with.
“That includes the Travelling community because they need somewhere that is suitable for them.
“If someone is leaving rubbish we will chase them and charge them, although it is very difficult to do because we need to identify the person who is responsible for the rubbish and then take action.
“I share everyone’s frustration with the situation because people should be cleaning up their mess — that is the bottom line.”