MORE needs to be done to catch and prosecute flytippers, residents say.

It comes as Castle Point Council papers revealed the number of fly tips occurring in the borough regularly hits between 70 and 80 each month.

The documents also say apart from two incidents, all incidents were cleared within one working day.

The council says warnings were served regarding the two incidents that were cleared outside one working day.

But Canvey residents say it’s all well and good clearing it quickly but there needs to be more of a deterrent.

Council bosses say they are working hard to prosecute flytippers but it isn’t easy.

Pat Shirkland, 50, of Long Road, Canvey said: “We are fed up of people just dumping waste where they see fit and ruining our island.

“It isn’t good enough to keep cleaning it up, we need the council to be dealing with these people.

“I think if the council catches more people and prosecutes and fines them it will send out a strong message to people who do this sort of thing.

“Clearing it away is only half of the issue in my mind.”

Barry O’Callaghan, 45, of May Avenue, Canvey, said: “I don’t think the council is doing enough to catch these people.

“There must be more that can be done; we do need something sorted as it’s getting ridiculous now on the island.

“We are all paying our taxes so want to see the council using that money to catch and prosecute these people.

“We need the council to be doing more to stop people doing this.”

Paul Varker, Tory councillor for the environment, said he and the council are working on securing more prosecutions.

He said: “70 to 80 flytips a month is diabolical and it goes to show people are not hiring the right people.

“It is something I am working on and want to get it reduced right down.

“Catching these people in the act is very difficult and we try to find identification in the waste that is dumped.

“It isn’t easy and is something we are working on.

“We rely on residents reporting it to us when they witness flytipping and would urge anyone who sees any incidents to contact the council.”