COURTS across the Northumbria police force area are planning another blitz on people who have not paid their fines.

Final warning letters are being sent to up to 16,000 people who face arrest unless they pay up within two weeks.

The letters are being followed up by visits from enforcement staff employed by the courts.

Inspector Bill Morris, of Northumbria police's criminal justice department, said: "If you've committed a crime, or even forgotten to pay a parking fine, then now is the time to pay up."

The blitz is part of the Government's Operation Payback campaign to recover hundreds of thousands of pounds of unpaid fines.