A waste carrier who sub-contracted his collection work out to an unknown driver, who then went onto fly-tip in scenic woodland, has been fined £1,900.

The landowner contacted the council after finding scrap metal, empty containers, cardboard packaging and boxes, linked to a garage in King’s Lynn, on his land between Mundford and Swaffham.

When Breckland Council's enforcement team began to investigate the garage provided evidence it had followed the law and hired a licenced waste carrier.

Further investigations found that due to being busy the licenced waste carrier who was hired to remove the waste had in fact sub-contracted out the job.

The licenced waste carrier hired the unknown sub-contractor via Facebook and failed to take a record of the sub-contractor’s licence, insurance, contact details and proof of a waste carriers’ licence.

After being interviewed under caution the licenced waste carrier was fined £1,900 as he was ultimately legally responsible for the waste.

The courier was issued with numerous fixed penalty notices, including failure of duty of care, no waste carriers’ licence on behalf of the original driver and no waste carriers notice for conducting work across council borders.

The courier agreed to pay for the costs of waste removal from the woodland.

Councillor Gordon Bambridge, cabinet member for waste at Breckland Council, said: “If you are a resident or a business, and hiring people to take away waste, please take contact details, check if the person has a waste carriers’ licence, get a full receipt listing what has been taken and where it is going.

"We all need to play our part in protecting our environment and stopping fly-tipping in our community.”

To report a fly-tipping incident in Breckland, visit: www.breckland.gov.uk/report-it