A man has been fined hundreds of pounds after failing to assist with a fly-tipping investigation.

Durham County Council took legal action against Carl Illingworth, of Hilton Road in Bishop Auckland, after waste was dumped on land near Greenfields Road in the town.

Peterlee Magistrates Court heard that a white transit van pulled up to the area where two men got out of the vehicle and began dumping the waste, which mostly consisted of garden waste, felled trees and bushes.

This activity was caught on CCTV, as the land is closely monitored by the council due to it being known for fly-tipping.

Investigations suggested the van may have been linked to Illingworth, and a neighbourhood warden hand-delivered a notice requesting he attend an interview on a specified date.

Illingworth failed to attend the interview and did not contact the warden further.

The court found the 35-year-old guilty of failing to assist in an investigation.

He was ordered to pay a £440 fine, £80 costs, and a £76 victim surcharge, totalling £569.

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Ian Hoult, Durham County Council’s neighbourhood protection manager, said: “Not only does fly-tipping cause environmental damage, but it also negatively impacts our countryside and open areas and can block access to roads, pathways, and land.

“It is hugely important that people make sure they dispose of waste properly at the right facilities or ensure that the person collecting their rubbish has a valid license to transfer waste and they dispose of it correctly.

“We take actions of fly-tipping very seriously and do monitor areas that are known to us as being frequently fly-tipped.

"Where people do not cooperate with enquiries, they are potentially stopping us taking action.

"This case should serve as a warning to people that we are watching, and we will do everything we can to tackle this crime.”