Two more men arrested over huge illegal waste dump

An aerial shot of the dumped waste, stretching out in a road-like line into the distance and surrounded on both sides by trees next to a motorway.

Two more men have been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into a giant illegal waste dump.

The site in Kidlington, discovered between the River Cherwell and the A34 in Oxfordshire last October, contained about 21,000 tonnes of waste in a pile 150m (490ft) long and 6m (20ft) high.

The rubbish was cleared during a five-month operation costing an estimated £6m.

A 21-year-old man from Ashford in Surrey and a 43-year-old man from Stanwell in Surrey have been arrested, the Environment Agency (EA) announced.

Previous arrests took place in November, January and February, bringing the total number to six.

Before-and-after aerial comparison of an illegal waste site in Kidlington. The left image shows a long, narrow mound of waste extending through a wooded strip beside a motorway. The image on the right shows the same area from a different angle at the start of the clean-up operation. Traffic is visible on the dual carriageway in both images.

Colin Chiverton, area environment manager for the Thames at the EA, said: "The dumping at Kidlington was abhorrent and had no regard for the local community.

"We moved quickly to remove all illegal waste from the site, and our teams continue to work tirelessly on this investigation.

"These arrests are another vital step in collecting new evidence and delivering justice for the residents of Kidlington."

The men have been released on conditional bail pending further investigations.

An explainer of the size and location of a field near Kidlington.

The site, which the EA said was larger than the pitch at Wembley Stadium, was shut down by officers in October 2025. It declared it a critical incident in November.

The agency funded the clear-up, although officials said they would pursue those responsible for the money as their investigation developed.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has set out new plans to shut down the criminal gangs running illegal waste sites, including giving the EA stronger powers to tackle waste crime.

The EA investigation is being led by its National Environmental Crime Unit, with support from Surrey Police and the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit.

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