Fly-tippers have struck on a historic street that featured in pop music videos and films including Pulp’s Common People, Madness’s Our House and The Ipcress File. 

The ‘brazen’ act on the London street which provided a backdrop to films, music videos, and adverts highlights the growing epidemic of fly-tipping across the country. 

One resident caught a tipper truck lorry on video illegally dumping piles of household waste, glass, wood and rubble on the famous Stephenson Street in Ealing on Wednesday morning. 

The culprit then drove off at speed when they realised they were being filmed. 

The incident occurred as figures from the Government showed the number of fly-tipping incidents councils are having to deal with across England climbed by 9 per cent the last year to 1.26million cases. 

Stephenson Street is set in a quiet cul-de-sac lined with Victorian terraced houses on one side and a small wooded area on the other. 

It is a popular set for films, adverts and music videos including Pulp’s Common People and Madness’s Our House. 

But residents say it is now ‘overwhelmed’ by the increasing problem of fly-tipping.

Footage filmed by a resident showed a huge truck unloading rubbish on the street which featured in Pulp’s Common People, Madness’s Our House and The Ipcress File 

Ealing Council workers cleared up the mess on Wednesday morning after it was reported, and found addressed mail in the dump 

Stephenson Street in Ealing has been used in many big budget films over the decades, becoming famous for its row of Victorian terraces 

Local resident James Trew said he heard a noise outside his home and went outside thinking it was the collection of a neighbour’s skip, only to find a truck tipping rubbish all over the road and then driving off at speed, still scattering rubbish along the road. 

Mr Trew said: ‘It’s an ongoing problem in Stephenson Street and this area, we are overwhelmed with people dumping rubbish on us.’ 

He added that the problem was ‘getting worse and more brazen’, and described how one neighbour confronted a fly-tipper about six months ago on camera, urging them not to dump rubbish on the road. They replied that they would and carried on regardless. 

‘They feel safe, the laws are so weak around it,’ he said.

Mr Trew, who has lived on the street for 20 years, also said local people were left in the dark by the council about whether anyone is ever actually prosecuted for fly-tipping in the area.

Another local Jamie Sutcliffe, who is the filming officer for the area and represents the residents association, said Ealing Council had cleaned up the fly-tipping on Wednesday after he had warned them that the rubbish, which included broken glass and rubble blocking the road, was hazardous.

It had taken numerous council waste vans and four hours to clear the debris, which appeared to have come from the clear-out of a pub elsewhere in London, with addressed mail found among the dumped rubbish, he said. 

‘People just think because it is a quiet residential area people can just dump here, and we’ve had sofas and cars and chairs, but this is a whole house,’ he said. 

But the residential area has faced a growing fly-tipping problem and local people say they are in the dark over whether anyone is ever prosecuted for the offence

A vintage photograph of what the street used to look like from the 80s

‘It’s an area you will have seen on movies and adverts and TV shows, it’s such a lovely vibrant community,’ he said, but added that it was off the beaten track and people felt they could just drive around and find places to fly-tip. 

Mr Sutcliffe said he was ‘convinced’ that the incident, which involved a lorry with no number plates, would go no further, but said something needed to be done about the problem. 

An Ealing Council spokesperson said: ‘We take all fly‑tipping incidents very seriously and we’re grateful to residents who report them and share evidence when it is safe to do so. 

‘If anyone witnesses fly‑tipping, we ask that they report it to us and let us know if they have any footage. Our investigation team will use this evidence to help identify those responsible.

‘Our crews aim to clear reported fly‑tips within 48 hours, and the waste on Stephenson Street was removed on the same day it was reported. Officers are now examining the dumped material for further evidence.

‘We continue to tackle fly‑tipping through increased investigation and enforcement, additional CCTV, community engagement, and our educational campaign, “This is our home, not a tip”. 

‘Fly‑tipping remains a priority for us, and we will continue using every tool available to track down offenders and keep our streets clean.’