COUNCIL chiefs have issued a hard-hitting message to fly-tippers: "We will find you and we will fine you."

The warning comes as new figures reveal that Bolton Council has seized about £25,000 from fly-tippers and litterers in costs in the last 18 months.

Councillor Nick Peel, the council's executive cabinet member for environmental services, said fly-tippers would not be tolerated.

Cllr Peel said: “We have a zero tolerance policy to environmental crime. The vast majority of our residents live and work within the law, and wouldn’t dream of fly-tipping or dumping litter.

“But the fact of the matter is fly-tipping and litter are an increasing problem. Unfortunately some people have no pride in their area and will dump rubbish in the back street. And others will go and fly-tip on a secluded road without a second thought.

"Fly-tipping is one of the public’s main bug-bears but rest assured, our team is working flat out to try and keep the borough clean.

"The message is simple – don’t dump rubbish, don’t fly-tip and you won’t be fined. We would ask our residents to be vigilant, and if they see dumped rubbish or anyone fly-tipping to contact us."

According to the new figures, 49 Bolton fly-tippers were taken to court and hit with fines and costs of more than £18,000. And 187 on-the-spot penalty notices were issued in that period to people who had either fly-tipped or dumped litter, with the 138 who paid up without going to court providing an estimated £7,000 in fines.

The cash not lost to court costs is reinvested in Bolton Council's environmental enforcement team, which is responsible for investigating instances of fly-tipping in hotspots across Bolton.

Dumping waste illegally can carry a fine of up to £50,000, which is unlimited if the case goes to crown court, while the culprit can be jailed for up to five years.

The council can remove dumped rubbish only from public land but it can take action to get landowners to remove rubbish on private land.

In October, three residents from Halliwell and Deane were landed with court bills of almost £3,000 in total after leaving rubbish in their own back streets.

The trio refused to pay the on-the-spot fines of £75 – reduced to £50 if paid within 10 days – and were handed much higher court bills.

In September, a resident was fined almost £700 for dumping rubbish in Woodfield Street, Great Lever.

The council has five enforcement officers at its disposal, with gathering evidence against people who fly-tip or dump rubbish a primary task.

It has recently been granted the power of a section 46 order, which enables the council to issue warnings to an entire area.

After those warnings, anyone prosecuted in the area is liable to pay a £100 fine

Meanwhile fly-tipping has become so bad in Halliwell that one business owner is considering selling up.

The Bolton News reported in October how Clifford Counsel, who owns North End Plumbing, said he had asked Bolton Council for a camera, which might deter people from dumping rubbish outside his premises, but the request was refused.