Rural campaigners have urged householders to dump their Christmas rubbish responsibly so it doesn't become a blight on the countryside.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) says fly-tipping incidents can rise at this time of year and can be a significant problem on farmland and country fields, with the landowner picking up the bill for waste illegally dumped on their property.

CLA East regional director Cath Crowther said: "Christmas is a time for celebration and for spending time with friends and family. However, it is also a time when households can have an increased amount of waste with boxes, old and broken toys and appliances, and an increase in general waste as people host guests in their homes.

"In some cases there can be changes in local authority bin collection days too which can lead to an accumulation of waste over the festive period.

"We want people to avoid making the countryside a dumping ground and urge everyone to dispose of their rubbish responsibly by checking when their local recycling centre is open and taking it there."