TOUGHER environmental rules from Brussels mean that more people are dumping cars in South East Cornwall beauty spots.

A change in EU rules means that scrap metal firms are charging people higher prices for disposing of their old cars. As a result a spokesman for Caradon council said they are constantly faced with having to arrange the removal of abandoned cars from the Horningtops layby. This week they also had to organise the removal of six old cars found piled together with their wheels missing, at Pennydriscott near Duloe.

Police have also stressed that abandoned cars can prove to be safety hazards where children are concerned.

Youngsters, attracted to them, can not only injure or crush themselves, but can also climb in and fiddle with the controls, causing the vehicle to move - which only serves to heighten the danger.

Asbestos

Cornish Times' photographer Ray Roberts came across a burnt out car and a wrecked van littering a layby at Horningtops, near the A38 turn-off to Looe this week, and was especially concerned that the van appeared to contain discarded material which he said included asbestos.

A spokesman for Caradon council said EU environmental rules covering items such as tyres and engine oil mean old vehicles now have no scrap value, and people taking them to scrap metal merchants now have to pay for them to be disposed of.

He added that Caradon council has reached the point where it is arranging disposal of about 60 abandoned cars a week, after going through the legal motions of serving a notice on them. Many of these vehicles are without wheels or tyres, so have to be taken to the dumping sites on low loaders. As a result the spokesman appealed for anyone who witnesses cars being abandoned in this way to contact the council.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said on Thursday that the police, and Caradon district council were dealing with the cars in the Horningtops lay-by. If they, however, receive information about asbestos being present then they will take measures to arrange for its expert removal.