Sedgefield Borough Council has declared an amnesty on abandoned or unwanted vehicles and will dispose of them without charge.

The council has the power to remove all abandoned vehicles and to recover what can become considerable costs from the vehicle owners.

The charges, which are fixed by the Government, are £105 for the removal of the vehicle, £12 per day for storage and £50 for disposal.

Vehicles are usually kept for seven days and owners could be looking at a minimum cost of £239 for each vehicle.

In an effort to improve the environment, Sedgefield Borough Council is offering to dispose of abandoned or unwanted vehicles.

The council is advising owners to take advantage of the scheme if their vehicles are untaxed and would be uneconomical to repair, or if they are taking up parking space.

All that is necessary is to surrender the V5 registration document and sign a disclaimer to have the vehicle destroyed and it will be removed free.

The amnesty scheme will operate for two months, starting on Monday.

Once those two months have elapsed, the charges will be introduced on all abandoned or unwanted vehicles.

For details, contact the vehicle action co-ordinator on (01388) 816166 extension 4613.