STREET wardens have warned shoppers and other members of the public to bin their rubbish or risk an instant fine.

The crackdown, by the district environmental wardens in the Easington area of County Durham, is to keep town centres litter free.

Starting this month the four wardens, part of Easington council's 22-strong force of street wardens, are targeting Peterlee and Seaham town centres.

Castle Dene shopping centre and its surrounds in Peterlee are the first areas to be targeted.

Anyone seen dropping litter will receive a £50 on-the-spot fine, which they have a fortnight to pay.

Posters have been mounted in shops around the town centre warning of the anti-litter partrols and the consequences of being caught.

Ian Harrison, Easington's senior district environmental warden, said: "There will be no first warning, the warnings are the posters and the publicity.

"Anyone dropping litter will be immediately issued with the fixed penalty.

"It's an extension of what we've been doing for the last couple of years, but this is particularly hitting the main shopping streets.

Anyone failing to pay the £50 spot fine within the fortnight time limit will be liable to a court bill of anything up to £2,500.