A mountain of rubbish is making life a misery for people in Thorpe Edge.

What started as a small bonfire has grown to the size of a gigantic tip.

And it is getting worse, according to residents living near the site off Old Park Road.

Residents highlighted the problem after the Telegraph & Argus launched its Bin It for Bradford campaign to tackle litter and fly-tipping in the district.

Working in association with Bradford Council and the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, the T&A aims to help clean up the area and encourage people to take pride in their community.

Austin Rhodes, of Springfield Crescent, in Thorpe Edge lives just feet from the growing heap of sofas, glass and rubble.

He said: "It's terrible. People are coming and going from the site at all times of the day dumping all sorts of items.

"It's a complete eyesore and is bringing the whole tone of the area down."

The rubbish began piling up in September in preparation for the estate's annual bonfire. But things have now got out of hand, according to Councillor Ann Ozolins (Lib. Dem, Idle).

She said: "The bonfire is now so full of toxic materials it would gas people if it was lit."

She said the same thing happened last year when the fire service had to be called to remove toxic items from the stack.

Mr Rhodes claimed local businesses are to blame.

He said: "Vans and tipper trucks are using the site as a dumping ground instead of paying to get rid of their waste. They just don't care."

He said PVc windows, sheet metal and bricks were among items dumped at the site, which has already been set alight three times.

Mr Rhodes said: "The fires always happen in the early hours of the morning and we have to be disturbed to move our cars."

But when Bradford Council workers came to clear the pile, abuse was hurled at them from angry residents.

A spokesman for the authority said: "We sent in a team but residents were very aggressive and did not want us to touch the bonfire.

"However we managed to take away certain items that would be unsuitable for burning."

Since then more items have been dumped at the site. The spokesman said: "We sent in two teams again but once again our staff were confronted by aggressive local residents who threatened them with physical violence if they disturbed the bonfire in any way."

But the Council said it would revisit the site to remove anything that may cause noxious fumes and appealed to residents to allow them to do this for health and safety reasons.

Coun Ozolins said: "When people are being threatened over a community bonfire things have really got out of hand. Nobody is trying to be a killjoy but this really cannot go on."