A fly-tipping survey hosted by the local MP has been launched.

The Rutland and Melton MP, Alicia Kearns, has dubbed fly-tipping 'selfish' as she launches a survey to tackle the crime in her rural constituency.

Fly-tipping is defined as the 'illegal deposit of any waste onto land that does not have a licence to accept it'.

Keep Britain Tidy, a national group working to reduce waste and improve the environment across the country, say: "Tipping a mattress, electrical items or a bin bag full of rubbish in the street causes a local nuisance and makes an area look ugly and run down. At the larger end of the scale fly-tipping can involve several truckloads of construction and demolition waste being tipped on different types of land.

"Fly-tipping is a serious criminal offence for which you can be prosecuted. The courts have various powers available to them to tackle fly-tipping, including imprisonment, unlimited fines and an order to deprive rights to a vehicle used to commit the offence."

This is a common issue damaging rural areas, and has prompted the MP for Rutland and Melton to launch a survey asking the local community for support.

The survey asks where fly-tipping is most common, which items are discarded, and how easy is it to report the crime.

Conservative MP, Alicia Kearns, said: "I want to hear from you!

"I'm keen to map out where the hotspots for fly-tipping are in our communities, so I can ensure our Councils know where they are and together we can crackdown on this selfish crime.

"If you have a few spare minutes please fill out my survey online."

You can complete the survey here or find out more about the Rutland and Melton MP on her website.