A WOMAN accused of flytipping at a Southampton beauty spot could face prosecution – because her electricity bill was found among the debris.

The identity was revealed after documents with her personal information were found on the heap at Botany Bay Road, Sholing.

Southampton City Council says it is gathering evidence ahead of a potential prosecution.

The scrapheap, including a smashed TV, ironing board, dolls' house, cabinet and bed linen, was abandoned near Miller’s Pond nature reserve on Sunday.

It was discovered by Colin Oliphant, who has litter-picked the area for nearly 40 years.

Despite the documents giving a name and nearby address in nearby, the cash-strapped council initially warned it had limited resources to chase the suspect.

An angry Mr Oliphant took his fight to the council leader, Cllr Simon Letts, who ordered an investigation in order to “send a message” about flytipping.

In an email seen by the Daily Echo, he said: “We have been looking for an opportunity to do this and if successful, to give it maximum publicity – to send a message.

"Flytipping is a notoriously difficult crime to prosecute regardless of how many staff you have trying to do it and usually requires the criminal to be very stupid, like these seem to have been.”

Mr Oliphant said his battle against dumping has become harder than ever due to police cuts and the disbanding of the council’s enforcement team.

He said: “Without the police interested, with the council not being interested, what the hell are we supposed to do?

“It saddens me that all of my efforts for over 38 years, which includes arguments, a punch in the face and threats of having my house ‘torched’ because I have personally caught tippers, now mean nothing.”

Proposed recycling centre closures would make things “10 times worse”, added Mr Oliphant, who has cleaned the area since 1978.

Many Sholing residents fear their tip at Grange Road is among those being earmarked for closure as Hampshire County Council looks to save £1.55m.

No centres have been named in the consultation, which also outlines options to reduce opening hours or only open on certain days.

Mr Oliphant added: “If people dump rubbish in the area when they could take it to the tip half a mile away for free, then what is going to happen when they have to pay?

“We will be deluged with rubbish that the council will have to clear at their cost.”

A Southampton City Council spokesman said it takes flytipping very seriously.

He said: “When evidence that might help identify offenders is discovered, this information is passed to our Environmental Health team for assessment. In cases where the evidence is considered strong enough, the appropriate action will be taken against the perpetrators.”