A man from Guildford’s been arrested in connection with a mountain of rubbish illegally dumped near the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire.

The 39-year-old, from the Guildford area, is being questioned following an investigation into the 40ft-high waste heap that appeared beside the A34.

Last week, the Environment Agency declared the illegal tip a “critical incident”.

Phil Davies, head of the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, said:

“The Environment Agency is working closely with other law enforcement agencies to identify and hold those responsible for the horrendous illegal dumping of waste that has taken place in Kidlington. A number of active lines of investigation are being pursued by specialist officers.

“We would ask that the public and media do not speculate about the identity of any other individuals who may be connected with the offending at this location, or interfere with the waste on site as we continue to treat it as an active crime scene.”