A woman from Bootle, Merseyside, says she has become a "prisoner in her own home" due to relentless flytipping outside her property over the past four years. Collette Etherington, a resident of Grogan Square, has described the ordeal as overwhelming, with piles of rubbish, swarms of flies, and rats turning the area outside her home into a waste-ridden nightmare.

"I can't tell you how bad the smell is, and then there's the clouds of flies and, even worse, the rats running about having a field day," she told the BBC. Ms Etherington, who uses a walking aid and electric scooter due to mobility impairments, says the persistent problem has left her anxious, depressed, and struggling to leave her home.

"I can't get out and it builds up, so I'm filled with anxiety and worry, and basically just depressed by the whole situation," she said.

Ms Etherington said the issue has persisted for years, despite repeated calls to both Sefton Council and One Vision Housing, the organisation managing the flats in the area.

"That alleyway has not been cleaned for three and a half years," she said. "I've rung the council on numerous occasions, I've rung One Vision Housing on numerous occasions. I couldn't care less who does it, we all just want it removed."

From her home, she describes the contrast between the neat, well-kept garden she looks out on and the mountains of dumped waste just beyond her fence.

"It's like two different worlds, one in here where everything is nice and another world on the other side of the fence, which is filled with piles and piles of rubbish."

Following mounting pressure, One Vision Housing confirmed that the rubbish had been removed on 21 March and that they were working with Sefton Council to prevent future flytipping in the area.

A spokesperson said: "We are committed to improving the local environment for customers and the wider community, and have proactively removed the flytipping surrounding Grogan Square."

The organisation also said it was implementing stronger measures, including enhanced surveillance, a pilot waste disposal scheme, and prosecution efforts.

Sefton Council has stepped up enforcement against flytipping, recently issuing a £400 fine to a person caught dumping rubbish on Kirkstone Road.

Councillor Peter Harvey, cabinet member for cleansing and street scene, warned that more penalties were on the way.

"I hope the issuing of this latest £400 fixed penalty notice makes clear: Sefton Council will not tolerate flytipping, and if we identify that you are responsible for it, we will come after you," he said.

He added that 15 additional cases were currently under investigation, meaning more fines could soon follow.

Flytipping is a criminal offence in the UK, and offenders can face fines of up to £1,000 if caught. However, enforcement remains a challenge, and illegal dumping continues to plague many communities.

For residents like Collette Etherington, the removal of waste is only part of the solution. She and her neighbours want long-term action to ensure the problem doesn’t return.