A COMPANY owner from Bromsgrove has been ordered to pay £1,300 in fines and costs after waste he was responsible for ended up being dumped in a rural lane.

Michael Steven Burford, 33, of Austin Road, pleaded guilty to breaching his duty of care under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Worcester Magistrates’ Court.

The waste, which was estimated to be enough to fill a small tipper lorry, was found tipped on land between Laylocks Garden Centre and the junction of Otherton Lane and Bromyard Road in Cotheridge, near Worcester.

It was reported to Malvern District Council on October 21 last year and officers found it contained items including broken furniture, bits of carpet, an office chair and paperwork.

Investigations linked the waste to Bromsgrove company Home and Gardens 4 U Limited - which Burford owns.

An employee confirmed they had carried out a house clearance in Worcester and had passed the waste on to another contractor to dispose of, but was unable to provide details.

By law, companies that produce, import, keep, store, transport, treat or dispose of waste must take all reasonable steps to ensure it is dealt with properly.

Burford was fined £300 and told to pay £1,000 towards the council's costs.

Cllr Bronwen Behan, the council's environment portfolio holder, said: “Fly-tipping is not a harmless crime. It costs the taxpayer and landowners money to deal with, inconveniences the public and in some cases can be dangerous. Where we find evidence we will always prosecute.

“We can all play our part in helping to combat fly-tipping by ensuring we use properly-licensed traders to dispose of our waste, take it to the household recycling centre ourselves or use our convenient bulky waste collection service.”