DOZENS of bags of rubble were dumped on a beach illegally as the tide was coming in.

A woman who was walking her dog along Southend’s City Beach stumbled on THIRTY large orange bags,of what appeared to be construction waste.

The 54-year-old, who did not want to be named, said: “I wish I could have done something but I had my two dogs with me.

“I came home and cried my eyes out.

“At first, when I was walking towards the orange bags, I thought they were people.

“They looked like workmen from a distance. As I got closer I realised they were bags of rubble so I went over to get a closer look.”

She added: “They were massive. There were even tyres in some of them and plastic and nets, everything you don’t want in sea.

“As I saw the tide was coming in I panicked, there was no one around who could have helped.

“I called the council and hung around for about half an hour to see if they would turn up but they didn’t.

“I just hope they were cleared in time but I don’t think they were.

“I love animals and can’t stand the thought of any of them being hurt.”

The animal-lover went down to the seafront the following morning to see what had happened to the rubbish but it was no longer there.

She added: “I must say I am suspicious about where this rubbish came from.”

A spokesperson for Southend Council said: “Around 30 bags of waste were removed yesterday from the promenade near to the Sealife Centre.

“We are currently investigating how this waste came to be there, and who is responsible for dumping it.

“There is no place in our community for fly-tipping and we will take appropriate action against those responsible.”