A man who paid an unknown “scrap dealer” £40 to dispose of several fridges and freezers from his food business was fined for fly-tipping after they were found dumped by the roadside in Chatteris.

Liam Waters’ waste was found fly-tipped in New Road by a member of Fenland District Council’s street cleansing team in September last year.

The council’s street scene team launched an investigation which led them to Waters’ business address in Salix Road, Peterborough.

He said he was carrying out refurbishments, and his neighbour had told him about a “scrap dealer” who could take away some white goods he needed to get rid of.

Waters appeared before Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court earlier this month when he admitted paying a man to take his rubbish away and failing in his duty of care to ensure his commercial waste was legally disposed of.

He was fined £300 and ordered to pay a £34 victim surcharge and a contribution towards costs of £250.

In mitigation, Waters’ solicitor said he did not realise that not checking who was taking away his rubbish would lead to the consequences that it did.

Cllr Peter Murphy, Fenland District Council’s cabinet member for the environment, said: “It is vital that anyone who needs waste taken away checks the credentials of the waste provider.

“They should be able to provide you with their waste licence and a receipt confirming where the waste will be taken.

“Any reputable contractor will have no problem providing this information.

"If you are in any doubt about whether the person or company removing your waste is licenced to do so, please do not use them.

“Services that sound too good to be true often are and if your waste ends up illegally dumped, you will be held responsible.”

Check if someone has a waste licence on the Environment Agency website at: https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers

For more information, visit: www.fenland.gov.uk/tradewaste