MAGISTRATES have ordered a landowner and his sons to clear their property of fly-tipped waste or face fines. South Cambridgeshire District Council took John Samuel Browning and his sons, Thomas and Samuel, of Priest Lane, Willingham, to court where they p

MAGISTRATES have ordered a landowner and his sons to clear their property of fly-tipped waste or face fines.

South Cambridgeshire District Council took John Samuel Browning and his sons, Thomas and Samuel, of Priest Lane, Willingham, to court where they pleaded guilty to a Section 33 offence of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for fly-tipping and another related offence.

SCDC prosecuted the pair for treating, keeping and disposing of controlled waste on their land at Kimptons Fen, Cottenham, without a waste management licence between April 2005 and September 2006.

The case was adjourned by Cambridge magistrates until September during which time the land must be restored to its original state. If the Brownings do not comply, they will face a fine and court costs. Even if the work is done, they may still be obliged to pay SCDC's costs.

Councillor Daphne Spink, housing and environmental health portfolio holder in SCDC's cabinet, said: "This was a very serious case to crack, which involved a great deal of surveillance work. Under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, our enforcement officers were able to gather evidence using surveillance cameras and long-range photography.

"If you suspect someone of fly-tipping, gather as much information as possible, including location, time, date, description of what you saw, including the registration numbers of any vehicles, and let us know."

INFORMATION: To report suspected fly-tipping, call 08450 450063 or visit www.scambs.gov.uk/reportit.

All information is treated in the strictest confidence, the council promises.