If you turn your garden into a tip and make it an unpleasant eyesore for your neighbours and passers-by you may be prosecuted.

That’s the message Medway Council is sending out after taking a Chatham resident to court for failing to clear his garden.

The overgrown garden was full of rubbish - including a rotting bath, old tyres, a rusty fridge and an old armchair. And it wasn't even fenced off, leaving the mess on show for everyone to see.

Mr Bhupinder Singh, 52, of Natal Road, Chatham, was convicted at Medway Magistrates' Court last Thursday.

Medway Council's Environmental Enforcement Team had tried since January 2008 to persuade Mr. Singh to clear his garden of rubbish and fence it off.

But when it became clear that Mr. Singh was not going to take any action, he was served with a notice under section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

The notice required Mr. Singh to clear his garden of rubbish and dispose of it at a registered waste disposal site. The notice also told him he had to fence off his garden.

However, Mr Singh failed to comply with the notice and was brought before Medway Magistrates' Court where he pleaded guilty. The magistrates gave Mr Singh a £250 fine and ordered him to pay £120 in costs and a £15 surcharge.

Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Enforcement Cllr Rehman Chishti said: "Untidy land has a detrimental effect on the quality of life for residents in Medway.

"As well as being an eye sore, it can attract further fly tipping and lead to feelings of insecurity for residents and visitors to the area.

"In this case, Mr Singh was given a number of opportunities to rectify the problem but chose not to.

“This case sends a strong message to those who think we will not take action against them."