A DRIVER caught throwing a cigarette butt from a car window has been handed a fine for littering.

Amy Moore, of Berkley Cottages, Edwards Lane, Sneachill, was initially given a £75 Fixed Penalty Notice, reduced to £50 if paid within days, but a court summons was issued after it was not paid.

The 23-year-old pleaded guilty by post and was fined £75 and ordered to pay £300 court costs and £20 victim surcharge at Worcester Magistrates Court.

Moore was spotted by Trevor Clark, Wychavon District Council’s community safety warden, who was following the car.

Patrick Hulburd, of Charland Court, Droitwich, has also been successfully prosecuted for littering.

The 45-year-old was also seen by Wychavon’s community safety warden leaving an empty fizzy drink can in a hedgerow.

The warden spoke to the Hulburd, who said he would go back and pick it up.

He did not pick up the empty can and was issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £75 for depositing litter. Again, the Fixed Penalty Notice was not paid so a summons was issued to attend Worcester Magistrates Court.

Hulburd pleaded guilty by post, which resulted in a fine of £75 with £300 court costs and £20 victim surcharge.

David Roberts, environmental crime enforcement officer, said: “We are repeatedly told by our residents that littering is an important issue to them.

"It is also one of the council’s priorities to protect the local environment and tackle people that litter.

"We would always prefer people to act decently and dispose of their litter in the correct way – they can use the ashtrays in their cars or use one of 800 litter bins we have across the district.

"But if people are determined to blight the district with their rubbish then we will fine them.”

If you see anyone dropping litter, call Wychavon District Council on 01386 565018.