A couple who hired a ‘man with a van’ to take away their rubbish have been fined for fly-tipping after he turned out to be an illegal dumper.

The pair, from norh London, paid the man £160 without checking if he had a waste carrier licence so when their rubbish turned up in New Road, Dagenham, they were liable.

Paperwork with their details was found in the waste and they were given a £200 fixed penalty notice for failing to show a "duty of care" under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The 'man in the van' was tracked down to a company in West Ham and the owner was given a £300 fine.

Councillor Margaret Mullane, cabinet member for enforcement and community safety, said: "This demonstrates we all have a responsibility when it comes to tackling fly-tipping and while it might be tempting find a cheap and cheerful 'man with a van', the reality is it could end up costing you more than a few quid - you could wind up with a criminal record."