FLYTIPPERS have been warned to expect harsher fines after new guidelines were agreed.

The news has been welcomed by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) which says the announcement is "long overdue".

“The announcement of higher fines is long overdue, but while it may deter some, more needs to be done to tackle this blight on the countryside," said CLA Midlands' rural adviser, Donna Tavernor.

“Our main concern is the problems faced by landowners in dealing with fly-tipped rubbish on private land, which costs the landowner £800 on average to clear up each incidence of non-toxic fly-tipped waste on their land, and can rise into many thousands for hazardous or large amounts of waste. "There is the additional threat for landowners of being prosecuted purely because they have not removed waste that someone else has tipped on their land.

“Although we would like to see waste taken to local tips free of charge, we understand this is unlikely without a change in policy. There must be a long-term sustainable solution."

The new guidelines have been set out by the Sentencing Council, which said it wants magistrates to make more use of the “highest levels of fines”.

Heavier fines may be handed out for all types of fly-tipping, "whether this is a company tipping a lorry-load of used tyres in a field or a householder dumping an old mattress in an alleyway", the council said.

The new guidelines will take effect in courts across the country from Tuesday, July 1 this year.

CLA Midlands says it wants to hear from anyone who knows of flytipping taking place, together with any photos people may have.

Photos, with details of date and location, can be emailed to midlands@cla.org.uk after being sent to the police.