The owner of a Newport Art gallery has been forced to take street cleaning into her own hands.

Fridges, TVs, beds, bins and piles of raw rice are only a few of the things gallery owner, Janet Martin, has found in the lane adjacent to her property, Barnabas Arts House on New Ruperra street Newport.

She said: “You name it, we’ve had it.”

The problem is a daily occurrence on Ruperra Lane and in Ms Martin’s experience, the council have taken between seven and ten days to respond to her calls and clean up the mess.

Ms Martin has written to Newport council to suggest a new way of tackling the problem. She has even offered her arts house to be the hub for a community clean-up project.

She said: “I don’t mind cleaning up rubbish.”

Although it may be locals dumping the rubbish, she believes it’s locals who can solve the problem.

“They need pride [...] and to realise how good it could be.”

Ms Martin believes the lane could be a place for street art and even become Newport’s answer to London’s Brick Lane.

People from the local area and further afield come to visit the exhibitions at the art venue. Ms Martin said: “It gives such an awful impression.”

The impact on Ms Martin’s cannot be underestimated. Visitors coming to see fine art should not be expected to have to dodge burning wheely bins or raw food to get there.

“I feel so strongly about the lane,” Ms Martin said.

Another lane in Newport, behind Ms Martin's second business was also victim to fly-tipping. But Robin Lane has now been transformed with local youngster’s graffiti art incorporated into it.

“I’ve saved one lane and I’d like to save another one.”

Newport Council were contacted but unavailable for comment.