The first person to be issued with a new on-the-spot fine for dumping rubbish in north Norfolk claimed he 'didn't know it was an offence to fly-tip', according to the local authority.
North Norfolk District Council has fined a man from Cromer £200 after he was caught dumping waste in ancient woodland, owned by the National Trust, at Aylmerton.
He was seen in CCTV entering the woods on Christmas Eve with a bag of rubbish and returning empty handed. After an interview under caution, the man admitted fly-tipping and was served the fixed penalty notice.
Councillor Angie Titch-Fillett, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services at North Norfolk District Council, said: 'This kind of offence blights our beautiful district and anything that might make people think twice about tipping, and choose instead to take their waste through the proper disposal routes, has got to be a good thing.'
The new on-the-spot fines were introduced last May in a government crackdown on fly-tipping, which costs the taxpayer millions of pounds-a-year in clean-up costs and can harm the environment.
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