A mountain of illegally dumped tyres has closed a coastal footpath for a year, forcing walkers onto a more dangerous route.
Tyre piles lined the footpath in Gravesend, Kent, with wires and debris sticking out, and some tyres were stacked up against walls.
Entrance to the passage has been blocked by a newly-erected fence with multiple signs saying: "Path closed. Dangerous tyres."
After the fly-tipping Kent County Council closed the English Coast Path street for six months, declaring it a danger to pedestrians.
But the closure is due to drag on for a full year - having been shut since December last year and not due to re-open for another four months.
A diversion route has been created along a road around the industrial estate, but some walkers have complained it is more dangerous than walking past the tyres.
Pete Skelton, 68, said lorries and cars were always parked up on the diversion route pavement, forcing pedestrians to walk in the road which vehicles often speed down.
He said: "If you go early morning, you get the lorries and commuter and school buses driving past. It is quite dangerous to walk.
"I cannot understand how they see these tyres as a danger when the road is more dangerous.
"It is not the prettiest walk but it is a walk that should be open rather than making people walk onto and around the main road.
"I thought it was funny how the coastal path had been opened but that bit was still closed.
"You would have thought they would have done something about it to get it open. It is just odd.
"Why has it been closed that long? That is the frustrating part about it. It is an odd world out there."
Jodie Channing, 42, walks her dog around the area every day, she lives in a nearby block of flats.
She said: "It is just so dangerous. You have to take the dog into the road too which is not safe. If you want to take your kids out and be safe you cannot, it is dangerous.
"Lots of people I have spoken to have mentioned it, it is unsafe as you have to walk on the road."
Owner of vehicle dismantling and recycling company, VauxPartsUK, Adam said: "I would be lying if I said it has affected business but it has affected parking.
"You are still able to access us. We have reported it but it does not seem anyone cares really."
Manager of neighbouring business, Burns Removal Service, Mark added: "I know there was an issue but as far as I was aware it had been resolved. A lot of the tyres had been taken away.
"There are some still around the back but that does not affect us. There was issues in the past."
Kent County Council (KCC) would not comment on what it felt was dangerous about the tyres, if any had already been removed or when they might be shifted from the site.
But the planned re-opening date is December 11 this year - exactly 12 months since the path was first closed.
A KCC spokesman said: "Officers have a responsibility to protect the safety of the public when using the path.
"While some of the tyres have been cleared, there are challenges in completely clearing the area and therefore we are currently unable to reopen it.
"We are working with partner agencies to progress this work at pace and hope to fully reopen the path as soon as it is safe to do so."
