Imperial Charity, which supports people with special educational needs and senior citizens through its two shops in Westbury, Wiltshire, faced a disappointing fly-tipping incident when volunteers found two fridges, a freezer, and a sofa dumped outside their High Street branch in heavy rain. The items were damaged and could not be accepted as donations, and while removal would have cost the charity around £250, Westbury Town Council stepped in to clear the items promptly at public expense. The charity highlighted the significant costs and challenges charities face in disposing of fly-tipped goods, as they cannot use council waste facilities for such items.

Westbury Town Council confirmed that CCTV footage capturing the incident, including the van’s registration, has been handed to enforcement teams, and urged residents to donate responsibly by consulting shop staff during opening hours. The council emphasized that leaving items outside charity shops is illegal fly-tipping, even if well-intentioned, and reminded the public that not all items are suitable for donation. Imperial Charity hopes the perpetrators will be identified and held accountable.