AN area of land which was blighted by thousands of dumped sinks has been transformed back into scenic countryside.

Thousands of scrapped ceramic sinks were fly-tipped on the hillside between Waterside and Belthorn and blighted the landscape for over a year.

Blackburn with Darwen Council prosecuted the landowner, Morton Hamer, of Sandy Lane, Lower Darwen, for allowing the sinks to be dumped.

He was also served with a legal notice to clean up the site, which has now been completed.

Underneath all the sinks was a public footpath which can now be used by residents and visitors.

Coun Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration and environment, said: “The land-owner has complied with the legal order and has cleaned up the area.

“You can clearly see the public footpath which can now be used by residents and visitors once again. The ‘before and after’ photographs clearly show the detrimental effect that fly-tipping can have on both the countryside and people who live in or visit it.”

The council also prosecuted a Darwen firm who owned the sinks and a contractor who dropped them off at the site in relation to the flytipping.

Owners Shaws of Darwen pleaded guilty to three separate offences relating to duty of care in relation to waste, and was fined £4,545 with £205 costs.

Morton Hamer and contractor Richard Catterall, of Spencer Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to depositing controlled waste on land and were fined £215 and £315 respectively as well as being ordered to pay £60 costs.