TWO men are counting the cost of their actions after being ordered to pay £3,030 in fines and costs for fly-tipping a large quantity of household waste at Warton Crag.

Christian Henderson, of Yealand Avenue, Heysham, and Michael James, of Broadway, Lancaster, were taken to court by Lancaster City Council as part of its Operation Peregrine initiative. It aims to crack down on fly-tipping and make those responsible pay for their actions.

Lancaster Magistrates' Court heard that in March the city council was called to deal with a large amount of household waste that had been fly-tipped at Warton Crag.

The fly-tip included bin bags full of personal household paraphernalia and the doors of a caravan.

A handwritten note containing a vehicle registration number was also found at the scene. Subsequent checks established that the vehicle referred to was registered to James.

James was interviewed about the fly-tip and admitted to being involved. He told investigators that, along with Henderson, he had attended an address in Thornton, Cleveleys, to take away a caravan that belonged to a man who had recently died.

His daughter wanted to dispose of the caravan and offered it to James and Henderson for free, on the condition they also disposed of its contents.

They had intended to dismantle the caravan and sell the scrap metal, but had been unable to properly dispose of the personal effects it contained, so they instead decided to fly-tip it at Warton Crag.

Henderson was subsequently interviewed and also admitted being involved.

Both men pleaded guilty to an offence under s33(1)of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, in that they failed to properly dispose of controlled waste.

Henderson and James were both fined £923 and ordered to £500 in costs and a £92 victim surcharge.