A woman has become the first person to be prosecuted for fly-tipping in Fenland.

Angela Ashton of Huntingdon was ordered to pay nearly £1,500 in fines and costs after being found guilty of the offence.

She was prosecuted by Fenland District Council after being seen dumping a trailer-load of rubbish in Dykemoor Drove, Doddington, on March 8.

The incident was reported to the council by a local resident. He saw Ms Ashton drive down Dykemoor Drove and deposit various items by the roadside, including a tarpaulin, a plastic laundry box and a number of boxes.

Ashton, of Bradshaw Close, Huntingdon, appeared at Peterborough Magistrates Court on Thursday (10). She was convicted under section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act.

She was fined £400 and ordered to pay costs of £1,000 and a victim surcharge of £44.

Welcoming the sentence, Councillor Peter Murphy, Fenland’s cabinet member responsible for the environment, said: “We are doing all we can to clamp down on fly-tipping. This case shows that we won’t hesitate to prosecute offenders whenever we have the necessary evidence. “We would like to thank the person who reported this incident to us and was prepared to give evidence in court. We urge anybody who sees similar cases to contact us so that we can take action against the individuals responsible.”