THOUSANDS of people across Worcestershire are failing to return library books on time - with a staggering £700,000 in fines racked up over the last six years.

A Freedom of Information Request from your Worcester News has revealed how library users are regularly ignoring requests to return books, denting the public purse while they are chased up.

We can exclusively reveal:

- Since 2009/10 £543,120 has been collected by Worcestershire County Council in fines

- At the end of January £169,428 was still outstanding, with 6,343 people owing cash

- A whopping 84,301 late books were still outstanding at that point, with council chiefs admitting the figure is a "concern"

The fines system penalises people 15p for every day a book is late, although for university students taking out very short loans it is £3 a day.

The county council has capped the fines at a maximum of £10.80 to stop it getting out of hand, and has a recovery method in place where people are sent emailed reminders, saying the situation is a problem at libraries everywhere.

It is even contemplating sending out text messages, saying fresh efforts may be needed to tackle the issue.

Kathy Kirk, libraries and learning manager at the council, said: "Customers receive email reminders five days and then two days before items are due back and are made aware of the options for renewing books online and by telephone - both options are available 24 hours a day.

"However if a book isn't returned on time then most customers will be subject to a fine.

"The service takes responsibility for trying to encourage payment of all fines."

She added: "Of course our outstanding fines are a concern, it's public money after all, and this is an issue for libraries nationwide.

"But most of our library fines are for small amounts."

She said if people reach debts of £10.80 they are blocked from borrowing any more books, but the average amount owed is just over £2 for the thousands of people implicated.

The fines come despite people being allowed to use the internet to renew, which is the method of choice for 75 per cent of borrowers.

People with late books get two email reminders and if the item is still unreturned after three months, another email or letter.

Some inactive borrowers' records dating back to before 2012 were destroyed after The Hive opened, with the council saying complete figures prior to that are not available.

The figures include data from all 24 libraries across Worcestershire, including Worcester’s £60 million gold-cladded Hive.

No fines are levied on under-18s taking out books.