Three people from Bury have been prosecuted after failing to pay littering fines.

Three residents who failed to pay a £75 fine for littering have now been hit with a bill for £1,666 each.

Hannah Entwistle, of Milltown Street Radcliffe, Bryn Real of Myrtle Street, Bury and Maria Stewart of Mitchell Street, Bury, were originally given fixed penalty notices for littering offences that had been committed in September and October last year.

As they did not pay the fines, they were prosecuted and each offender was fined £1,173 and told to pay a a victim surcharge of £117 and costs of £376 at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court on Friday, July 29.

The maximum fine for littering is £2,500.

A further three offenders failed to attend court for fly-tipping offences and a warrant has been issued by the courts.

Fly-tipping carries a maximum fine of £50,000 in the magistrates’ courts.

Since two new enforcement officers joined the council last year, 39 fixed penalty notices have been issued for fly-tipping, plus 27 for littering and two to commercial companies for not exercising their duty of care.

A further four cases are awaiting trial.

Cllr Alan Quinn, cabinet member for the environment, climate change and operations at the council, said: “It doesn’t matter whether it’s a single refuse bag or a huge pile of rubbish on our streets and green spaces - fly-tipping and littering are illegal, and a blight on our borough.

“They also cost money to clear up, which council taxpayers are rightly angry about.

“We will continue to take tough action against those responsible, and we remind everyone that fly-tipping and littering are criminal offences punishable by a fine or prosecution.