A GARAGE in Forton has been fined more than £4,000 for illegally burning controlled waste.

J. Boardman (Garages) Limited, of Recovery House, Forton, pleaded guilty to three charges relating to disposal of controlled waste, including burning 100 tyres on land at White Carr Farm, on Bonfire Night last year.

Preston magistrates heard that the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service contacted the Environment Agency after attending a fire at Boardmans on November 5 last year.

The Environment Agency investigated the incident, and concluded that the company had used Bonfire Night as a convenient excuse to illegally dispose of a number of tyres in order to avoid paying disposal costs.

Liz Bowen, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, told the court that the fire service confirmed the materials in the fire were alloy and steel wheels, around 100 tyres and a wooden pallet. When interviewed by the Environment Agency, company director John Boardman admitted that his staff had put tyres on the bonfire, but that he thought only a dozen had been thrown on the fire, along with diesel oil, to get it started.

The court was told that the investigation revealed that the fire had been lit by the firm's handyman.

Mr Boardman confirmed that his staff should not dispose of tyres this way. The company was fined £3,500 and ordered to pay £637 costs to the Environment Agency.