Anger over dumped lamb tails

Long-time River Rd resident Gary Watt is angry over docked lamb tails he found dumped on the riverbank near his home.

The retired caregiver, 71, has lived in the neighbourhood for five decades and for many years has patrolled stretches of the nearby Waipoua and Ruamahanga rivers in an effort to keep the riversides pristine and waterways clean enough for swimming and fishing.

The rivers meet at a junction within 200 metres of his home, where he says piles of lamb tails appear each docking season.

Mr Watt has in the past month photographed a sheep carcass mouldering in a stretch of the Waipoua River and a pile of lamb tails dumped on a grassy riverbank area. A charred pile of tails remained at the site yesterday.

Shortly after the Times-Age visited the area, Mr Watt said two more piles of tails were dumped at the site.

In past years Mr Watt has discovered piles of tails, household rubbish and sheep carcasses dumped along the riverside that he has reported to Masterton District Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and Masterton police.

"I take my dog Pharoah down there every day. This sort of thing happens all the time and it's where our children swim and fish," Mr Watt said.

He "gets in the ear of council" when he discovers rubbish along the nearby stretches of riverbank.

"It's just a crying shame."

Mr Watt said he would prefer to simply walk his dog along the river tracks without the burden of staying alert for rubbish.

But he feels obliged to complete his near daily patrols, he said.

"It would be a whole lot easier if people didn't dump their rubbish down there, but someone has to watch out until they do."