Wildlife enthusiasts are calling for “embarrassing” fly-tipping that is blighting marshland in Bexley to be cleared up.

Ray Lamb Way has been identified by councillors as a fly-tipping hotspot in the past, with claims that some come from as far as Essex to dump their rubbish.

Crayford Marshes, which surrounds the road, has been dubbed the “jewel in the crown” of Bexley, but according to activists dumped rubbish is now worse than ever.

Donna Zimmer, part of Friends of Crayford Marshes and a wildlife photographer, has started a petition calling for “whatever action necessary” to be taken to clear the site.

Ms Zimmer said: “The fly-tipping at Ray Lamb Way has been there for years due to the complications of being on private land. The situation is getting worse.

“I lead walks for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and London Natural History Society across Crayford Marshes to observe the wonderful rare wildlife that this site of metropolitan greenbelt attracts.

“We are now seeing fly-tipping here too which isn’t just damaging to the wildlife and its habitat but frankly looks embarrassingly ugly dumped across an area described as a jewel in Bexley borough’s crown.”

Last month, councillors at a scrutiny meeting said cracking down on dumped rubbish on Ray Lamb Way, leading to Darent Industrial Estate,  was “very tricky”.

Councillor Stef Borella called for a meeting to be set up to think of long-term solutions for the estate.

He said at the time: “It is a costly problem that hits people in the pocket. The people who do it know they can get away with it – we know people from Essex come down because they know they can dump their rubbish.”

Pictures show tyres and chairs dumped along the road just yards from a no- tipping warning sign.

Fly-tipping is a criminal offence and those found guilty can be hit with fines of up to £50,000 and a prison sentence.

Ms Zimmer said: “The petition is set up in hope that Bexley Council will lead negotiations with the Environment Agency, local businesses and the landowner to secure and then clear Ray Lamb Way from the fly-tipping with immediate effect.”

So far the petition has been backed by more than 50 people.

A spokesman for the council said: "Two vehicles engaged in fly-tipping activity in the Erith Marshes have been seized and one has being crushed this year.

"We are also actively working in partnership with the Environment Agency, private land owners, representatives of the local Darent Industrial Estate and local businesses to tackle this complex problem.

"A significant quantity of fly-tipped material has been removed by both the council and the private owner in recent weeks. Fly-tipping is mainly taking place on land that is not the council’s responsibility including the dykes, but the council will always quickly act to investigate and also remove fly-tipped material from the byway."