A Manchester man has been ordered to pay over £400 for dropping a cigarette end in Nelson town centre.

Tony Esivwose-Evans, 21, of Newton Heath failed to attend Reedley Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

But the case was proved in his absence and the court imposed a fine of £350 plus £70 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

On 25th November 2010, a Pendle Council Environmental Crime Officer witnessed Esivwose-Evans drop his cigarette end on the floor outside the Pendle Rise shopping centre in Nelson.

Esivwose-Evans was later issued with a fixed penalty notice - carrying a fine of £75 - for dropping cigarette litter.

But he did not pay this and, as a result, ended up being taken to court.

Denis Joyce, Environmental Crime Officer, said: "Cigarette ends are classed as litter and should be disposed of properly.

"Like other forms of litter, it is an offence to just throw them on the ground.

"In Nelson town centre, where this offence took place, there are many litter bins with ashtrays or specific ashtray bins.

"So Esivwose-Evans really had no excuse for littering the town centre with his cigarette end, and he's paying for it now."