Fly-tippers have been condemned after dumping mounds of rubbish in a public pathway in St Albans.

Offenders look to have struck under the cover of darkness in Hixberry Lane on Sunday.

The mountain of rubbish included building waste, plasterboard, furniture and plastics – left just yards from Highfield Park Trust.

In the 12 months to May 2015, St Albans District Council has dealt with 863 incidents of fly-tipping across the district, costing more than £40,000.

St Albans resident Melanie Evans said it was becoming a bigger problem in the district since the recycling centres reduced their opening times.

She said: "I regularly walk our dogs in the Park Street gravel pits, Drop Lane and Bricket Wood areas, and am often dismayed to see litter left lying around and sometimes what is clearly fly-tipping.

"I think the reasons for this are mixed but it's clearly not helping the situation if the local councils are placing restrictions on the use of legitimate waste disposal sites, be that in terms of opening times or charges.

"I hate seeing our beautiful local countryside marred by discarded rubbish."

Since January, instead of opening seven days a week, both Ronsons Way in St Albans and Dark Lane in Harpenden open five days a week in a move saving the county council £6 million over the next eight years.

David Seymour said he had seen an increase in fly-tipping in Highfield Park, along with antisocial behaviour.

The 44-year-old father of three said: "We, like most local residents, are not only concerned about the continued fly-tipping in the park but also about the continued unsocial behaviour that goes on with motor bikes being raced around the park and the staggering amount of malnourished horses left out to wonder the fields and public areas without food or water, many of which get into the playgrounds and onto the roads.

"It's a major accident waiting to happen, something need to be done.

"Unfortunately the trust, who do a great job, are pretty much powerless.

"It's all very worrying for the safety of our families and the horses."

In response, park manager Richard Bull, said the park work closely with the police to combat the problems.

The maximum fine for fly-tipping is £3m for companies and £95,000 for individuals.

Richard Shwe, head of community services at St Albans District Council, said: “The council treats the problem of fly-tipping very seriously and always seeks to prosecute those responsible."

Terry Douris, cabinet member for waste management at the county council, said: “We have co-ordinated opening times across the county so that when your nearest site is closed, an alternative site nearby will be available.

"There is no evidence to suggest that these changes, which were made following a public consultation last summer, have resulted in an increase in fly-tipping.”