These are the shocking pictures that show how a peaceful, mature woodland on the fringes of Belfast is being using as a massive dumping ground.

As part of our Big Clean-Up campaign the Belfast Telegraph teamed up with community litter wardens employed by Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland to clear fly-tipped waste from the entrance to Old Colin Woodland in the Belfast Hills — everything from a sunbed to tyres, oil drums and a bed base.

The dumping site at the secluded Old Colin Road running below Colinglen Road is one of a gallery of ‘grot spots’ we highlighted when we launched the campaign two weeks ago.

And when we were clearing it up we found burnt car seats, metal railings, unwanted kitchen units, soaking swathes of carpet and builder’s rubble — an indication that the beauty spot is being used as a dumping ground by both householders and businesses.

The team say they come across at least two stolen cars a week abandoned on part of the 130 acres they care for on behalf of the Belfast Regeneration Office.

“It depends on the time of year — coming up to Christmas it can be more when all the local ‘joyriders’ come out,” warden Sean McKenna said.

“Because this wee road is very secluded, a lot of fly-tipping goes on — we find hundreds of tyres every year. Local people would be dumping there and a lot of businesses would be dumping here as well.”

However, it’s very rare that it leads to a prosecution, possibly because it’s not worth the expense of a court case for a £50 fine.

We’ve teamed up with Tidy Northern Ireland to declare war on litter, highlighting the places which need to be cleaned up and calling on the public to take action themselves.

Our Big Clean-Up has already won the support of Environment Minister Edwin Poots.

As part of our campaign we have visited a host of sites around Belfast and beyond where litter abandoned by thoughtless members of the public have blighted the landscape.

We want the public to let us know about litter hotspots and keep us posted about their efforts to clean up their own environment by emailing us at bigcleanup@belfasttelegraph.co.uk .

About this campaign

Our manifesto: We want to get the eyesores that are

blighting Northern Ireland cleaned up.

What we will do: We will document the litter hotspots you highlight and ask the authorities to take immediate action.

What you can do: Email the details of what you have found to bigcleanup@belfasttelegraph.co.uk. Or write to us at Newsdesk, Belfast Telegraph, 124-144 Royal Avenue, Belfast BT1 1EB

Let us know what you and your community are doing.