A WOMAN who dumped her rubbish in a Vale village has been ordered to pay fines and costs totalling more than £700.

Rebecca Kellard, aged 20, of St Lawrence Road in Evesham, pleaded guilty to flytipping and breaching section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, when she appeared at Worcester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 2 April.

Wychavon District Council decided to prosecute Kellard after finding a large amount of waste dumped at the site in Cheltenham Road, Sedgeberrow in August last year following a call from a member of the public.

Amongst the rubbish were eight black bin bags containing general household waste along with fencing, hedge cuttings and about 30 household bricks.

Paperwork with Kellard’s name and address on led officers to her home but she said she had paid someone £150 to remove the waste.

Kellard, who represented herself in court, said she had obtained paperwork from the person who took her rubbish away but she had been unable to find it.

She was fined £75, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £20 and costs of £630, which she will repay out of her benefits at £5 per week.

Sharon Casswell, client services manager at Wychavon District Council, said: "Householders have a duty to check that anyone who transports waste has a licence to do so. If anyone offers to take waste away for you, you should ideally see their waste carrier’s licence or, failing that, get a proper receipt that shows the waste carrier’s licence number and the name and contact details for the business.

"Wychavon spends about £50,000 a year on enforcement and clean up costs related to fly tipping. That is money which could be better spent elsewhere."

Residents can visit gov.uk/find-registered-waste-carrier to find companies and traders licensed to carry waste.