Dedham residents have branded a pile of litter left by tourists as "disgusting" - as the hottest day of the year drew half-term crowds to the River Stour beauty spot.

The banks of the river were filled with people enjoying the summer sun on Wednesday, June 2.

However, the footpath gate was strewn with litter by the end of the day, despite numerous bins on site.

East Anglian Daily Times: The River Stour at Dedham has been marred by littering in recent summersThe River Stour at Dedham has been marred by littering in recent summers (Image: SIMON PAGE)

Last year, when the riverbanks were left covered in litter, Colchester Borough Council was forced to send extra officers to clear up the mess.

A scheme of taking away bins to encourage tourists to take their rubbish home also failed to address the problem.

One Dedham resident said the mess this week was "utterly disgusting" and that the people who did it should be ashamed.

Another said: "What kind of person thinks: 'I’ll just leave that here and not take it home in my car'?"