General · 20 January 2026
Family describes home as prison after illegal waste dump
A mother in Bickershaw, Wigan, says her home has become a prison after 25,000 tonnes of illegal waste was dumped next door. Nicha Rowson's autistic eight-year-old son Oliver moved out to live with grandparents due to the smell making him physically ill. The family suffered major rat infestations, forcing them to tear down their ceiling. The waste site caught fire in July lasting nine days, closing local schools and hospitalizing residents. Wigan Council secured closure orders but the £4.5 million cleanup remains incomplete despite ongoing Environment Agency investigation into the 17-month ordeal.
Reported by Roch Valley Radio · How we write briefs