A HASLINGDEN resident was left with a £260 legal bill for fly-tipping after claiming she trusted a friend to dump nine bags of rubbish.

The waste, including cardboard boxes and furniture items, ended up on a privately-owned site off King’s Highway, Acre, and was discovered by environmental health officers.

Council bosses in Rossendale are now urging householders to take extra care when disposing of their waste – or face the consequences.

Tasmin Durkin, 20, of Greenfield Street, was ordered to pay £260 compensation and was conditionally discharged for 12 months after admitting failing to ensure that household waste was properly disposed of. A charge of disposing of controlled waste at Tanner Barn was withdrawn.

Council officials said officers were alerted to the fly-tipping on land privately owned by Winfields in early March, and they found the nine bags of rubbish and assorted pieces of wood.

On closer inspection, it was found that the waste had come from Durkin’s home and court proceedings were launched.

Durkin is said to have told the court she had trusted a friend to dispose of the waste appropriately for her, but this had not happened.

After the case, council leader Alyson Barnes said: “This highlights the fact that residents remain responsible for the proper disposal of their household waste, even if they give it to someone else to dispose of.

“Householders should make sure their waste is legally disposed of by taking it to a household waste recycling centre, or by transferring it to a properly licensed waste collection person or company.”