A man has been fined £500 after a witness saw him fly-tipping on a country lane near Hilderstone and gave information to Stafford Borough Council.
The council said two hand saws and a vacuum cleaner were dumped on Whitesytch Lane during August. A woman saw the man leave the rubbish before driving away in a white van.
Officers used the information she provided to trace the vehicle. The man, who is from Cheadle, later admitted the environmental offence and was issued with a £500 fixed penalty notice.
Witness information helped identify offender
Councillor Ian Fordham, Stafford Borough Council's cabinet member for environment, thanked the witness for coming forward. He said information and evidence from residents can be essential when the authority investigates fly-tipping.
“Fly-tipping is a blight on our communities — and as well as making an area untidy and potentially unsafe, it can cause environmental damage.”
“We need the public's help to trace those committing these environmental crimes and I am very grateful this lady came forward and provided details and evidence of this latest incident which has enabled us to track down the person responsible.”
The latest fine follows further enforcement action elsewhere in Stafford Borough. The authority said more than £1,000 in penalties were issued during the summer for fly-tipping offences near Gnosall and on an industrial estate at Eccleshall.
How to report fly-tipping in Stafford Borough
Residents who find dumped waste should avoid touching it, especially if it may contain sharp objects, chemicals or other hazardous material. Useful evidence can include the precise location, the time the incident was seen, a description of the people or vehicle involved and a registration number where it can be recorded safely.
Fly-tipping and other environmental offences can be reported through Stafford Borough Council's Grimewatch service.
The incident details, enforcement outcome and photograph were supplied by Stafford Borough Council.
