A MAN has been issued with a fixed penalty and fined £200 after he dumped his car in Grizebeck.

A South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) spokesperson said they were informed by local residents that the car had been abandoned and this had triggered an investigation by the authority’s enforcement team.

“In an apparent bid to avoid the vehicle being traced back to him the owner of the grey Ford Fiesta had removed both registration plates and the chassis number from the window,” said the council spokesman. “But council officers were able to find the registered keeper’s details after locating the vehicle identification number.”

The council wanted to remind South Lakes residents and visitors that it is an offence to abandon a vehicle.

Cllr Eric Morell, SLDC’s customer and commercial and people portfolio holder, said: “This case shows that officers will investigate every avenue possible to trace owners and take action against anyone who illegally abandons a vehicle.

“Abandoning a vehicle is a criminal offence and will not be tolerated in South Lakeland. The person responsible can be given a fixed penalty notice of £200 and if unpaid taken to court, where they could be fined up to £2,500 or face three months’ imprisonment.

“And abandoning vehicles damage the environment, causing harm to wildlife and pollution to the area.”

SLDC is backing The Westmorland Gazette’s Big Clean campaign, run in conjunction with The Mail, which aims to encourage residents to take pride in the place they live by reducing litter.

The appeal is also sponsored by Kimberley Clark and Spirit Energy and it calls upon schools, community groups and businesses to do what they can to clear up any litter-strewn patches of land.

This could be helping to clean a park that is starting to look messy or it might just be picking up items that have been carelessly discarded.

To get involved and organise your own litter pick email celia.powell@newsquest.co.uk