Two Pendle residents have been fined more than £2,000 between them for dumping rubbish on the back streets behind their homes.

Ijaz Ahmed, 62, who lives in Princess Street, Nelson, left a large number of bin bags on the back street outside his property on December 17.

He was fined £660 and ordered to pay costs of £284.74 plus £94 compensation and £66 victim surcharge – a total payment of £1,104.74.

Sonita Marie Nelson, who lives in Ormerod Street, Nelson, also dumped bags outside her property on January 31.

She was fined £550 and ordered to pay costs of £333.77, £72 compensation and £55 victim surcharge totalling £1,010.77.

They were both prosecuted at Burnley Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, June 9. 

Deputy Leader of Pendle Borough Council, Cllr Mike Goulthorp, said: “Keeping Pendle’s streets clean has been identified as one of the biggest priorities for our residents for a number of years. 

“It’s so important that everyone takes responsibility for keeping the Borough clean and tidy.

“We provide household wheelie bins, free bulky waste collections, and residents can take unwanted items to Household Waste Recycling Centres in Barnoldswick and Burnley.

“These prosecutions are a strong message that we will not tolerate rubbish being left out on the street.”

Environmental Services Manager, David Walker, added: “If household waste is left out on days when we’re not collecting, it can cause obstructions on the pavements, forcing people to walk on the road.

“It can also attract vermin like foxes and rats and is very unsightly if bags are ripped open.

“These prosecutions highlight the importance of only putting your bins out on your collection day and not littering the pavement with additional bags between collections.”