A man from St Mary Bourne has been fined £253 and ordered to pay costs adding up to £885.77 after dumping garden waste in a lay-by. 

Paul Johnson, 68, appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty after being caught on a hidden camera removing the rubbish from the back of his vehicle. 

Footage showed Mr Johnson parking his car and grabbing three bags of garden waste,  which included tree, shrub and grass cuttings. He went on to dump the rubbish in a layby on a single-track road near Andover. 

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Test Valley Borough Council is reminding residents that garden waste should be disposed of correctly ,or they could face a fine. They also warned that dumping garden waste is a form of fly-tipping and anybody caught doing so could find themselves in court. 

Portfolio holder for Recycling and Environmental Services, Cllr David Drew, said: “Dumping your garden waste in woodlands, bushes or on grass verges may not feel like fly-tipping, but it is. Doing so costs money and valuable time to clear up. 

There is also a risk that the waste will transfer non-native bacteria, diseased matter or an invasive species, which is why we take these incidents seriously. It’s very easy to dispose of your garden waste legally. Please do so and keep yourself out of court. It’ll keep our borough beautiful by doing these simple things.” 

Residents are also reminded that garden waste cannot be put in the household waste or recycling bins. However, there are a few ways to dispose of it correctly, for example, sign up to the council’s garden waste collection service; or take it to your nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre.

For more information visit testvalley.gov.uk/gardenwaste.