Work begins to remove giant illegal waste tip near Kidlington

A £7.3m operation has begun to remove waste from a giant illegal tip in Oxfordshire. About 21,000 tonnes of mixed domestic and commercial rubbish was dumped in 2025 between the River Cherwell and the A34 near Kidlington. In November, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the 150m (490ft)-long pile as "appalling" and said a criminal investigation was under way. The work, carried out by an Environment Agency (EA) contractor, will involve the removal of 15-30 lorry loads of the waste each day. It is expected to take about six months to complete. The waste, including tyres, shredded plastic and household rubbish, covers about 8,000 sq m (two acres) - an area bigger than a football pitch. In December, the government said an "exceptional decision" had been made to clear the site due to the risk of fire. Thermometers placed within the large pile of waste at a depth of two metres were reading temperatures of 78C (172F), journalists were told on Monday. During a site visit, the EA showed how further waste, separate from the large pile, had been dumped across the entire area. The other waste was concealed from view by large mounds of dirt and mixed with earth. Environment Secretary Emma