A CHARITY shop in Otley is urging people to stop dumping goods outside its door.

The call comes after a broken office chair was left by the front door of Mind, on Boroughgate, overnight on Thursday, June 21.

The small shop, which raises money for mental health charity Mind, has no skips and has to pay for large items of waste to be taken to the local tip.

Manager Laura Matthews says it is regularly getting unusable 'donations', though the office chair was the biggest item that has been left to date.

She posted this message on Facebook after discovering it on Friday morning: "Thanks to whoever left the broken chair on the doorstep of the mind shop.

"I have had to arrange someone to take it to the tip as we have no bin.

"Please think in future that it costs the charity to dispose of it."

She told the Wharfedale & Aireborough Observer: "It was snapped in half with duct tape all over it so it was clearly unusable.

"I had to get someone to take it to the tip as we can't have a skip because the shop's so small.

"That could have cost us money but luckily I roped a friend in.

"We're always getting things left that aren't suitable left, though this is the first time we've had something this big.

"We've actually got a sign on the door clearly saying that donations shouldn't be left on the doorstep but should be brought into the shop during opening hours."

Otley resident Anne Ridgway says she has spotted numerous examples of dumped items during her early morning dog walks.

She said: "I am becoming increasingly worried about the amount of fly tipping outside Mind.

"On nearly a daily basis now unwanted goods are 'dumped' which means the charity has to pay to get rid of them - an obvious burden on their staff and funds.

"Contrary to popular belief, charity shops have to pay to throw rubbish away as they are classed as a business.

"Laura, the shop manager, says this is a repeated problem which seems to be increasing.

"Examples of other objects that have been dumped dumped there include dirty plastic food containers, empty bottles of wine and broken plates and toys."

Otley Town Council Chair Ray Georgeson is urging anyone who sees items being dumped to raise it with Leeds City council or flag it up with a local councillor.

Councillor Georgeson (Lib Dem, Danefield), who works in the waste management and recycling industry, added: "People should be clear - if the shop is closed the staff have no means of advising you whether the item is reusable and sellable or not.

"Your responsibility as a member of the public or business is to dispose of items, materials or wastes properly.

"Please don't use charity shop fronts as free waste disposal points, it costs them time and money to deal with which they should be spending on their good causes."

Cllr Georgeson believes fly-tipping has increased since charges for certain building and DIY waste were introduced at local tips in February.