A Swindon resident has been slapped with a hefty fine after fly-tipping household waste in a Wiltshire layby.

After the dumped rubbish was discovered, at a disused layby in Broad Hinton, it was tracked back to a Devizes resident by Wiltshire Council enforcement officers.

During a formal interview, this person revealed their waste had been taken away by a man from Swindon, who was known to them and offered to remove and properly dispose of it.

The fly-tipper, who cannot be named as he has not been convicted in court, then dumped the rubbish in a layby on his way back home to Swindon.

He told enforcement officers he had stopped to tidy the rear of his van and forgot to put all the waste back in before driving off.

Despite this excuse, he was hit with a £400 fixed penalty notice, which was paid in full within the required 14-day timeframe.

Cllr Richard Clewer, the leader of Wiltshire Council, said: "This is yet another example of the great work our officers do to help combat fly-tipping.

“Thankfully, the resident who gave their waste away for disposal recorded all the details of the person who took the waste, which assisted officers in catching this fly-tipper.”

The council have committed to cracking down on fly-tippers and are offering attractive rewards for information leading to prosecutions.

Cllr Clewer added: "In our Business Plan, we have committed to tackle fly-tipping. We're Targeting Fly-tippers and we take a zero-tolerance approach. We will always prosecute or issue FPNs where we can.

"Anyone who witnesses fly-tipping should report it to us, as our Environmental Enforcement team will investigate all reports and take necessary and proportionate enforcement action.

“Plus, anyone who reports fly-tipping to us and is willing to assist in our investigation by being a witness could be entitled to a reward of up to £200 in high street vouchers, if the information leads to the successful prosecution of an offender or the payment of a fixed penalty notice."

The council have warned that all members of the public have a legal duty to ensure their household or business waste is disposed of properly.

Anybody using a waste clearance service is encouraged to check for a valid upper tier waste carrier license, note the registration, make and model of the vehicle used, and get a receipt for the service.

Fly-tipping can be reported via MyWilts online reporting or by calling 03004560100.