A LITTER lout at Burnley bus station has become the first to be hit with a £75 fixed penalty fine.

The 15-year-old boy was caught by the council's community wardens dropping a carton of milk. When asked if he intended to pick it up he replied no and was promptly stung with the fine.

The new tough fines have been increased from the previous £50 level and are being targeted at key litter dropping hotspots and dog fouling areas such as local parks and the town centre.

Altogether there have been 61 fixed penalty notices issued for littering offences in the last five months and 24 notices issued for illegal dog fouling during the same period.

Joyce Walkden, Burnley Council's principal environ-mental health officer, said: "We want to send a clear message to those that drop litter that this behaviour will not be tolerated. Some people may still believe that its perfectly acceptable to drop litter or allow their dogs to foul in public but this campaign will hit them where it hurts in the pocket.

"We will be targeting all types of littering, ranging from the dropping of crisp packets, take away cartons to the dumping of chewing gum and cigarette ends. It is a no tolerance approach which will be vigorously enforced."

Anyone receiving a fixed penalty notice will now have to pay a £75 fine within 14 days of issue, or risk further prosecution and a fine of up to £5,000. All children, plus parents or guardians, will receive a warning letter while children over 14 will receive a fixed penalty notice.