A "REVOLTING and anti-social" fly-tipper who dumped rubbish in a Test Valley river has been condemned by a community leader.

Plastic cables were spotted in the River Blackwater by a bridge on Ridge Lane, which runs between Ower and Pauncefoot Hill, according to county councillor Nick Adams-King.

The hunt is now on to track down the offender and bring them to justice after the illegally dumped rubbish was discovered at "the end of April", Mr Adams-King confirmed.

In a Facebook post, the newly-elected county councillor for Romsey Rural vented his frustration over the fly-tip, believing it could ruin "a sensitive waterway".

He said: "What appears to be some form of wiring or cabling has been dumped in the River Blackwater by the bridge on Ridge Lane which runs between Ower and Pauncefoot Hill.

"Not only is this revolting and anti-social, but it also shows criminal disregard for the ecology of this important natural resource.

"Defiling our countryside is bad enough, damaging a sensitive waterway is even worse."

The deputy leader for Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) stressed after speaking to landowners and a fishing club, the local authority is looking to crackdown on fly-tippers who could be regularly offloading rubbish in the river.

Mr Adams-King said: "We spoke to landowners and the Test Valley Angling Club, that has access to that part of the river, and they said it has been a very regular occurrence that stuff is dumped there.

"We [TVBC] think it is probably the same person doing it on a regular basis, so we are looking at ways by which we can monitor that area more frequently."

He added if anyone recognises the cables or saw anything suspicious, they should private message Mr Adams-King or call TVBC's environmental enforcement team on 01794 527700.

This comes after piles of wood and asbestos were illegally fly-tipped in Ryedown Lane between 8.30pm on Monday, April 26 and 4am on Tuesday, April 27.