A NORTH-EAST council has agreed to revoke a £50 fine imposed on a woman who left garden rubbish outside her home.

The decision came after a written appeal was received from Alexandra Wilkinson, who was fined for leaving garden rubbish outside her home in Saltburn, east Cleveland, for collection on the wrong day.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has now pledged to review the training of wardens who issue fines.

Cabinet member for environmental improvement, Councillor Barbara Harpham, said: "Looking at Mrs Wilkinson's appeal, it was clear that she was acting in good faith and rescinding the fine is the most satisfactory and sensible outcome to this case.

"We are going to review the rules and advice given to wardens by giving more training and improved guidelines to ensure council tax payers get what they pay for - a community-based service that benefits everyone and uses the law, when necessary, to penalise blatant offenders."

But she insisted the council was not undermining the action of the local community safety warden who issued the fine, and that the battle against litter was still on.

"The council's coalition is determined to win as we have demonstrated today, by not going for the soft touches and by targeting those who just do not care about their neighbours or the environment."

Mrs Wilkinson said: "I am very pleased that the fine has been dropped because the whole thing has been very stressful.

"The impression I get from the council is that I should feel very lucky that I don't have to pay this fine. But it should never have happened in the first place."

The mother-of-two has had a lot of local support and thinks the council's attitude has done more harm than good.

Opposition Labour leader George Dunning said: "It is a victory for common sense but this is no reflection on the warden who was doing her job."