Dumped rubbish costs gran £598

Coreen Flowers, aged 44, arranged for a friend of a friend to take the waste to a tip in his van to make room for her daughter to move back into the family home.

But the rubbish was dumped near garages in Humphries Close, Bilston, Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court heard yesterday.

Officials who rummaged through the rubbish, which included furniture, plants, carpets and general waste, found a giro book in Flowers' name.

She appeared in court to admit handling or transferring controlled waste without taking reasonable measures in August last year. Flowers, of Glyn Avenue, Bradley, who has two grandchildren, told the court: "We had taken rubbish to the tip constantly the day before and we thought this friend was going to take the remainder. Obviously he didn't. All I can do is apologise."

Chairman of the bench Mr Geoff Hodgson said: "The fine for this kind of case is very often in the region of £700. But we have taken account of your guilty plea and this was an isolated incident."

She was fined £260, ordered to pay £323 in costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Wolverhampton City Council today warned residents to "be very careful" about who they give rubbish to. Councillor Barry Findlay, deputy leader and cabinet member for the environment, said: "It is the responsibility of the resident to ensure their waste is disposed of properly.

"There are rogue people out there, sadly, who will take it and dump it anywhere. Fly tipping is on the increase at the moment because of the economic situation.

"I'd ask residents to be extremely careful about how they dispose of waste, and only give it to those who will get rid of it legitimately."

In the last few months, local authorities have been more keen to prosecute people for flytipping.

Last year South Staffordshire had its first ever flytipping prosecution when John Cole, aged 21, of Cordon Close, Kidderminster, was fined £1,700 after cardboard was found in Gilbert Lane, Kinver.