More than 3,000 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in just nine months in Cheshire East last year, new data shows.

The figures, released after a freedom of information request from the Local Democracy Reporting Service, show where the borough's fly-tipping hotspots are — with one town by far and away the worst offenders.

Now, the council says it has developed a "new fly-tipping policy" to combat the problem — which it attributes to "poor domestic waste management".

Congleton recorded 43 fly-tipping incidents in the data period of April 2020 to the end of the year — which is 1.33 per cent of the total.

Crewe took the top spot for the number of incidents with 2,164 recorded in the same period — which is 66.9 per cent of the total.

Other towns high on the list include Macclesfield, with 288 fly-tips, and Alsager with 86 contributing to the total of 3,235.

Paul Bayley, director of environment and neighbourhood services, said: "The council takes any incidents of fly-tipping across the borough extremely seriously and we are particularly focused on this in Crewe, where reported incidents are highest.

"We are taking direct action to address fly-tipping and poor domestic waste management through the launch of a pilot scheme called 'Cleaner Crewe,' which will begin soon in some streets in Crewe South.

"The scheme will see the council focus on alleyways between streets, where there have been, and still are, problems with poor domestic waste management and fly-tipping. Our thorough research has shown that the problem we are dealing with, is predominantly around the mismanagement of household waste.

"Under the powers of a section 46 notice, our officers will make the expectations for residents clear, in terms of bin and waste management. We will then use an approach we call the four Es – 'engage, educate, encourage, enforce' if these expectations are not followed.

"Over the summer months we will be working with Crewe residents to clean up their town and help encourage civic pride, making this a sustainable approach for everyone."

Across England, more than one million fly-tips are estimated to take place every year — with Keep Britain Tidy claiming it cost £58 million to clear up the waste in 2016/17 alone.

It is a serious criminal offence, and carries the threat of imprisonment or an unlimited fine.

You can report fly-tipping via Cheshire East Council's website.