Supermarket crates, mattresses and human waste are just some of the items left dumped on the corner of a residential street.

Households in Millais Gardens, Edgware, say their quiet road has been blighted by unwanted rubbish for close to ten years.

Hordes of unwanted rubbish, from household goods to supermarket waste, remains left in a heap along the pavement and homeowners say no one is even attempting to have it removed.

Nina Parekh, of Millais Gardens, Edgware, said: “The area has deteriorated significantly, leading to an unhygienic environment for the neighbours.

“There is a rat infestation, an appalling stench and human excrement.

“A van is constantly parked there with people sleeping in it and every morning, the people occupying the van can be seen to be using the alley way as a public toilet.”

Only two weeks ago Susan Le Baigue, of Turner Road, Edgware, appealed for people to take their unwanted clothes into a nearby charity shop, instead of leaving them out on the roads and pavements for collection.

She said: “A lot of it is normal household rubbish, but there’s a huge amount of clothes that could go to new homes.

“Instead of leaving clothes on the streets, I just wish people would take them inside the charity shops or to the clothing banks – there’s one in Harrow dump.

“We’ve challenged people we have seen in the past that we have seen dumping rubbish, but we just want people make sure their charity donations actually go to charity.”

Although there are no charity shops along the Mollison Way shopping parade, there are a number of charity shops within Burnt Oak and Edgware and seven clothing banks within a mile of the alleyway.

There are also several places for people to leave general household rubbish.

A Harrow Council spokesperson said: “All reports of fly-tipping are investigated by our officers. If this occurs on public land, we will clear this within 24 hours.

“The road in question is private land and is the responsibility of landowners and shopkeepers to arrange for the fly-tip to be cleared.

“We have worked with residents and shopkeepers on this stretch of road to help them resolve the issue, including the installation of alley gates as well as provision of skips to clear the land.

“Ultimately the responsibility to maintain the area does not rest with the Council, but we will seek to enforce against those responsible where there is evidence.”