What lies beneath: the nature park covering up a dirty secret

Once one of western Europe's biggest landfill sites, Thurrock Thameside is now a thriving haven for wildlife

Standing on top of the visitor centre at Thurrock Thameside Nature Park, you could be forgiven for being disappointed by the view: a large field of brambles. But just 10 years ago, the same view would have been even more disappointing: mountains of rubbish heaped up on one of Europe's largest landfill sites.

For 50 years, the site absorbed waste belched out by Londoners. Now the only reminder of its past life is the odd piece of discarded metal.