The picturesque landscape of Merthyr has once again been blighted by the shocking sight of fly-tipping.
Merthyr Common is used regularly by walkers and mountain bikers.
It is also known for its natural beauty and striking landscapes.
However, the green space has been left in a disgusting state with bags of rubbish, broken furniture as well as piles of old trainers and shoes scattered as far as the eye can see.
Fly-tipping has plagued Merthyr Common in the past, but instances of dumping had appeared to quieten down.
However, photographer Matt Botwood was stopped in his tracks while going for a run this morning.
In a post on Twitter, he said: "These pictures represent just a tiny fraction of the problem. I was on a run and only stopped a couple of times, but could see distinctly fly tipping sites all through my run."
The resulting mess has left locals disgusted and prompted calls for tougher action.
Merthyr councillor Andrew Barry said: "This is an area with a vast natural beauty, and is considered a tourism centre for walking and mountain biking. We want to maintain that, and we want to see stricter punishments for those caught offending.
"We need to show that Merthyr is a no go area for fly tipping."
Councillor Barry argued the issue should be addressed more in the Welsh Assembly - especially clamping down on those who dump "on an industrial scale."
He added: "We've cleaned the area on a number of occasions but it seems to have become a magnet for fly tipping. This is now a nation wide issue and one that needs to be addressed."
