A rubbish fire has been spewing smoke across a village for more than a month - but cannot be extinguished for fear of polluting a waterway.

Great mounds of household waste, thought to include plastics, were illegally dumped in an orchard in Hernhill, near Faversham, in early December.

But the rubbish soon caught fire, and has ever since been causing acrid smoke to blow across the village.

Hernhill Parish Council chair Jill Geliot said: "I live half-a-mile away from it, and if the wind's in a certain direction I can smell it from here.

"One resident who lives pretty close to it - if the wind is in a south-westerly direction - the smoke just goes right over her house. And that's being going on for over a month.

"We think it was probably a couple of lorry loads of rubbish that were dumped.

"It was a huge, huge amount. It was above your head.

"It was steaming a bit, then really caught fire after about a week. And it's been burning ever since. We're stuck with it at the moment."

AC Goatham & Son, which owns Forge Farm where the rubbish was dumped, said the fire broke out on December 18 when the waste spontaneously combusted.

A spokesman said: "The locks on our gates were cut and a quantity of industrially processed household waste was illegally dumped.

"Before this could be removed from the site it caught fire."

The firm alerted both the fire service and the Environment Agency, which attended the scene.

'It was agreed with all parties that it should be monitored and left to burn....'

Its spokesman continued: "They advised that the fire couldn’t be put out with foam or water due to the risk of it polluting the nearby water course so it was agreed with all parties that it should be monitored and left to burn.

"We have been liaising with Boughton Parish Council and neighbouring properties who have been kept fully informed of the situation."

Mrs Geliot said that the smoke has begun to die down in the last couple of days.

"Over the weekend it was terrible," she said. "I just hope they catch the so-and-sos that illegally dumped this."

The incident is being dealt with by the Environment Agency.

'If people suspect any illegal waste activity we urge them to report it to our incident line...'

A spokesman for the agency said it is investigating the deposit of illegal waste, and is working with the landowner to arrange for its clearance.

It added: "The Environment Agency has worked with Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) to ensure that their tactical plans take into account any potential local environmental risks. If KFRS attend any further calls to this location we will work with them to reassess the risk.

"If people suspect any illegal waste activity we urge them to report it to our incident line on 0800 807060, so we can investigate."

A fire service spokesman added: "KFRS was made aware of a pile of rubbish alight on a field on Canterbury Road, Faversham.

"Firefighters used drag rakes and extinguished a number of deep-seated hot spots, and have attended on five occasions to ensure the burning is controlled and that the scene remains safe.

"Crews have also worked closely with the Environment Agency."

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