LITTER is the scourge of our country.

It spoils our beautiful scenery, with remote spots on country and moorland roads acting as a magnet to unscrupulous fly-tippers.

But, even in places where perpetrators can be seen, there is a problem.

Fly-tipping is not only unsightly but can pose a serious safety risk.

That has been brought into sharp focus by the death of several lambs on land near Sharphaw Avenue in Skipton.

It is believed six of the animals, including two this year, have choked to death on carelessly discarded wrappers, plastic bottles, bottle caps and other rubbish.

Now, sisters Laura and Kirsty Mitton – whose father rents the land – have made a heartfelt plea for people to stop using the site as a dumping ground.

They say keeping the land clear has become an uphill battle, with them having to shift piles of rubbish every day. People have even dumped sinks and sofas, and they claim the situation is getting worse.

To make matters worse, the family is getting the blame.

Everyone has a shared responsibility to do whatever they can to combat the problem. Only by reporting incidents and, where possible, providing information about suspects or their vehicles, can the culprits be brought to book.

Only last month, the Keep Britain Tidy Campaign held a special Clean for The Queen, to get the country spick and span ahead of Her Majesty's 90th birthday.

More than 250,000 people joined the campaign, supported by 400 local authorities, along with the WI, all the nation’s anti-litter charities and corporate partners. In all, a massive 300,000 bags of rubbish were collected, containing enough litter to stretch from Land's End to John O'Groats!

We must build on that momentum, and demand better and more concerted action on litter and fly-tipping from local authorities, the Government and other responsible bodies.