More than 160 tyres were dumped in an alleyway behind people's homes in broad daylight.

Men were seen unloading them from a white van and leaving them in the Coppice area of Anfield, Liverpool, on Saturday.

Liverpool City Council Liberal group leader Steve Radford said they presented a major fire risk for people's houses, and said he wanted to see the perpetrators caught and jailed.

The tyres have been removed, and the council's environmental enforcement team has launched an investigation.

Radford said photographs of the culprits in action had been handed over to the investigation team.

"It just shows the arrogance to do it in broad daylight," he said.

Radford praised the council for clearing the tyres within 24 hours, but said the incident should not be treated as ordinary dumping because of the fire risk.

When set alight, rubber tyres create thick, black, toxic smoke.

"Those people responsible should be put in jail," Radford added.

He added that while residents had provided the initial evidence, it was for the council to see the investigation through.

Laura Robertson-Collins, the council's cabinet member for communities, said all fly-tipping was "entirely unacceptable".

She said large amounts of rubber could pose a "serious fire risk" and put nearby residents in danger.

The council said its investigation would use all available evidence and "appropriate action" would be taken against anyone found responsible.

In extreme cases, people can be jailed over fly-tipping.

But the council said that because the offence is criminal, any prosecution case would have to be proven beyond reasonable doubt.

The council has introduced tiered fly-tipping penalties, ranging from £500 for up to three bags of domestic waste to £1,000 for commercial or business waste, or a domestic load equivalent to a light commercial van.

Councils in England dealt with 1.26 million fly-tipping incidents in 2024-25, up 9% on the previous year, according to government figures.

About 109,000 incidents were recorded in back alleyways.

The Anfield incident came days after the government announced fines for waste offences would rise to as much as £5,000 as part of a wider crackdown on illegal dumping.