A ST Helens resident was hit with a fine for the part they played in a fly-tip of bin bags at a popular walking spot.

The bin bags were discarded just off Brocstedes Road in Ashton-in-Makerfield – an area which is extremely popular with walkers.

The resident was fined by Wigan Council for the fly-tipping.

Cllr Paul Prescott, Wigan Council's cabinet member for environment, said: “There is absolutely no excuse for fly tipping, it is a nuisance to our communities and costs money to clear away.

“If residents are struggling with their waste then people are free to use one of our recycling centres after Wigan became the first local authority to reopen them for essential use.

“The crackdown on fly tippers is something we can’t do on our own so we ask residents to be our eyes and ears and to report anything suspicious, especially if approached by someone offering disposal services on the cheap.”

It’s not just the fly-tippers themselves that can be prosecuted, it also means anyone who decides to take the easy option and use bogus waste collectors charging cheaper payments.

Residents who use an independent waste contractor must make sure the contractor is registered with the Environment Agency as a licensed carrier. Anyone licensed always needs to have a credit card style licence or certificate with them.