WASTE company bosses yesterday warned they were prepared to prosecute anyone who abused their sites or staff across North Yorkshire.

Northallerton-based Yorwaste said it would take to court anyone found committing a crime at its facilities, including those discovered breaking and entering sites, stealing, assaulting or abusing personnel and illegally depositing trade waste.

The warning follows recent incidents at household waste recycling centres at Catterick, Beckfield Lane at York, and Skibeden, near Skipton.

Waste strategy and contracts manager Tony Sharkey said: "Recently, we have experienced thefts, staff being threatened and assaulted and trade waste being illegally dumped at our sites.

"By their nature, these sites need to be readily accessible to the public but a minority of people are spoiling it for the majority.

"Every tonne of waste recycled helps local authorities to meet recycling targets and avoids the need for it to be deposited in landfill sites.

"We all, therefore, have a role to play in helping the environment but those who misuse our sites do not help this."

He said they were now working with the police, the environment agency and local authorities on a co-ordinated approach and would not hesitate to prosecute those found committing crimes.