A JUDGE yesterday issued a warning to anyone hindering efforts to restore a stretch of North-East coastline.

Judge Maurice Carr said fly-tippers found to have used beaches on the County Durham coast as an unofficial waste dump should expect severe sanctions.

He was speaking at Durham Crown Court after the collapse of an Environment Agency prosecution over the dumping of tyres at a coastal beauty spot.

The court heard that council wardens saw 112 tyres being tipped onto the beach at Dene Mount, Blackhall Rocks, from a pick-up truck, on September 2.

Diana Maudslay, prosecuting, said 36-year-old David Peart, from Seaham, east Durham, was traced as the registered owner of the truck.

He told agency inspectors he lent his vehicle to a man called Chapman, from Hartlepool, that day.

But Ms Maudslay said the inspectors were unable to trace the man to verify Mr Peart's story.

Mr Peart, of Ash Crescent, who said he had nothing to do with the depositing of the tyres, denied unlawful dumping of waste from a motor vehicle.

Ms Maudslay said the Environment Protection Act of 1990 requires owners to take all reasonable steps to ensure waste is not illegally dumped from a vehicle in their possession.

But, after the start of the trial on Wednesday, defence barrister Glen Gatland said the prosecution was flawed because witnesses said the truck from which the tyres were dumped was red, but Mr Peart's registration document said it was white.

At the start of the second day of the hearing yesterday, Ms Maudslay said two prosecution witnesses were unavailable and it was not considered to be in the public interest to pursue the case.

She offered no evidence and Judge Carr instructed the jury to return a formal not guilty verdict.

Discharging Mr Peart, Judge Carr said: "When I was at the bar, I remember dealing with cases of coal being taken from the blackened beaches.

"Those days are long gone. Thousands of pounds have been spent cleaning the beaches.

"The word has to go out that this type of dumping must no longer take place.

"Those found dumping on the beaches will face severe sanctions."

He awarded costs to Mr Peart.