MORE than 200 incidents of anti-social behaviour were dealt with in January as part of Durham County Council’s crackdown on environmental crime.

The imitative, which also included 84 seizures of alcohol from underage drinkers, was part of the authority’s neighbourhood protection team’s partnership with police and other agencies to improve and promote safer communities.

During the same month, two people were prosecuted for flytipping and four for failing to comply with waste carrier requirements, while 66 people were issued with fines for littering, two for dog fouling and 29 for untidy yards and gardens and failing to comply with litter clearing notices.

106 community protection warnings were also issued to properties with untidy gardens or yards, 23 food waste warnings were issued to businesses where the owner of the land or property had accumulated food waste causing concern,

93 stray dogs were reported, 87 of which were passed to kennels, and 654 incidents of people illegally dumping waste were reported and investigated.

Ian Hoult, neighbourhood protection manager, said: “It’s been a busy month for our teams but we are relentless in our fight against environmental crimes.

“We always prefer to work with communities and to educate them on civic pride.

To report environmental crimes, including fly-tipping, illegal waste carriers, dog fouling and litter, visit durham.gov.uk or call 0300-026-1000.