Three men have been arrested as part of an investigation into the large-scale, illegal dumping of waste at woodland in Kent.

Two men, aged 44 and 62 and from the Isle of Sheppey, and a 41-year-old man from Sittingbourne, were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the dumping at Hoads Wood, near Ashford, the Environment Agency (EA) said.

A criminal investigation was launched in 2023 after 30,000 tonnes of household and construction waste, piled 15 feet high in places, was discovered dumped in a large part of the wood, which is designated a site of special scientific interest.