A wildlife trust has been forced to close a car park of a nature reserve due to repeated fly tipping.

The Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust has closed the car park of its Broad Colney Lakes Nature Reserve following a large number of fly tipping cases at the reserve.

The car park will be locked from November 1 onwards. The reserve will still be accessible on foot but cars will no longer be able to park on site.

The Trust's reserves officer Rob Hopkins said: "It is a great shame we have had to take this course of action but illegal dumping at Broad Colney Lakes is an increasing problem.

"At present we cannot see any other course of action that would improve the situation. We want this nature reserve to be a haven for wildlife and a place people enjoy visiting but the persistent fly tipping is making this very difficult."

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, who run the nature reserve, took the decision to close the car park following the most recent fly tipping incident which saw a motor scooter dumped in one of the lakes. The Trust is working with local police and has reported all fly-tipping instances.

The lakes, the largest of which is fed by the River Colne, offer a diverse habitat that is home to many waterfowl and fish species.