The chalk bunding is full of metal, glass and other waste material

The chalk mound, known as bunding, was put on Telscombe Tye to stop vehicles using the green space, but locals say it is contaminated with trade waste.

The Sussex Downs Joint Committee asked for the chalk to be dumped there and said its safety has been checked by the Environment Agency several times.

East Sussex Council has ordered it be removed as the bunding is too high.

But local residents insisted the barrier should be removed anyway.

"To have this on the South Downs is a real shame," said Liz Baverstock.

But the Sussex Downs Joint Committee is pressing ahead with its aim of getting retrospective planning permission by agreeing to decontaminate the chalk.

It insisted the bunding is needed to stop motorcyclists and four-wheel drive vehicles destroying the land.

Telscombe Town Council is aware of the problem, but said it has yet to find the source of the asbestos.