Fly-tippers who dumped waste close to where children play have been left with a bill of more than £1,000 each.

Matthew Newin, 33, and Margaret Samuels, 30, pleaded not guilty to ditching a trailer, carpets and household waste near Elm Grove Play Park in Murston in October 2017.

Council officers traced the trash back to a landlord who told Medway Magistrates Court he had employed the pair, of Swanstree Avenue, Sittingbourne, to remove the waste from another home in the town.

They were found guilty of fly-tipping and waste transport offences on Wednesday, March 27.

Newin was ordered to do 300 hours of unpaid work and Samuels was given a conditional discharge.

They were both ordered to pay compensation and costs totalling £1,075 each.

Swale council’s environment response manager, Alister Andrews, said: “The witness evidence made sure these fly-tippers were prosecuted, which should be a reminder to people to make sure they know who is taking away their waste.

“It is great when we catch those who are actually dumping the waste, because if they have done it once, it is likely that they would do it again.

“Thankfully we were able to find the culprits and the bench acknowledged in their sentencing the seriousness of the offence, especially so close to an area where children play.”

Elsewhere in the area one road had to be closed this week because of a fly-tipping incident.

The rubbish has forced Kent Highways to close part of Bull Lane which had been blocked between Old House Lane in Newington and Cowstead Road in Stockbury, which runs above the M2.

The trash, reported yesterday morning, is made up of lumps of concrete, branches, planks of wood, dirt and rubble.

In Northfleet another road also had to be closed this week because of another fly-tipping incident.

Kent Highways said Northfleet Green Road near Gravesend had been closed between Downs Road and New Barn Road due to rubbish being dumped, the waste is expected to be removed by Tuesday, April 9.

In January, new powers came in meaning householders who fail to pass their waste to a licensed carrier, and then find their waste fly-tipped, could face a fine of up to £400.

You can check if people are registered to carry waste by calling the Environment Agency on 03708 506506 or search for firms by clicking here.