A BUSINESSMAN from Bury who illegally dumped a sofa found himself in the hot seat.

Shopkeeper Masood Akhtar, of Wellington Road, Bury, was caught on CCTV dumping the green sofa and seven cushions from his van in Elton Street, Salford, on March 4.

Ahktar claimed he dumped the sofa after children tried to set fire to it behind his off-licence, M and S Kersal Supermarkets, in Littleton Road, Salford.

The 40-year-old pleaded guilty to illegally dumping the sofa, which had no fire damage, before a hearing at Manchester Magistrates Court.

Ahktar was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £797 in costs, £150 towards cleaning up the mess and a £15 victim surcharge.

Cllr David Lancaster, Deputy Mayor of Salford, said: “Mr Ahktar should have disposed of the sofa legally.

“Every pound we spend clearing up after people who fly-tip like this is a pound taken away from much needed services for residents.”

A spokesman for Salford City Council said the authority received more than 280 reports of illegal fly-tipping each month, and spends £140,000 every year cleaning up.

He added: “Mr Ahktar’s conviction is the latest in a string of court cases which are part of Salford City Council’s Operation Pandora, to crack down on fly-tippers.

“More than £10,000 has been handed down to illegal tippers in fines and court costs since March this year.”