What a lot of rubbish!

That was the response from thousands of residents who have taken part in the biggest ever survey on littering in the district.

More than 6,000 households have so far returned postcards, which asked them to name the worst three fly-tipping spots in the district and probed their opinions on recycling and the Council's Refuse Collection Service.

In the largest Council survey of its kind, all 200,000 homes across the district were sent a newspaper, Community Pride, and invited to fill in an attached freepost card.

Now the details on the cards are being entered onto a database, which will be used to put the eyesores named in priority order.

Richard Wixey, director of waste management, said he was bowled over by the excellent response from local people but urged others to return the forms.

"We want to thank everyone who has taken the time and trouble to fill in the cards - I'm really pleased we've had such a lot returned.

"As soon as we get some information which identifies specific areas people really want cleaning up, we will be out there tackling them, or in the case of private land, contacting the owners."

One man who is in no doubt as to Bradford's worst 'grot spot' is steel company manager Ian Graham.

He is so angry at the amount of rubbish dumped near his business he is using a JCB to clear the road. He claims the rubbish is piled so high that lorries cannot move freely to and from the site.

Mr Graham, of John Hornby and Sons, says he is fed up of the road being used as a tip and wants cameras installed.

Furniture, refrigerators and garden waste is left on Birkshall Lane, Bowling.

He said: "I want to nominate this as the worst road in Bradford, you cannot walk down it in a straight line because it is full of rubbish. I have been here 12 years and it has steadily got worse.

"We are in the process of putting a plant in which is costing more than £1m to dispose of fridges but wagons cannot get up and down the road. The other week there were in excess of 600 tyres left on the road and the Council had to get a firm in to move them."

Bradford Council is proposing to block one end of the road but Mr Graham wants tougher measures.

"They will just go half way down, tip and then turn around and go back again. I've had to use one of our big JCB's to push the rubbish to one side."

Anyone who has not received a copy of Community Pride or the reply card should ring Liz Parker on (01274) 754665.