A PENSIONER has been fined £50 for dropping a cigarette end in a North-East town.

James Scott, 74, will have to hand over almost half a week's pension for dropping the one-inch roll-up stub in Redcar High Street's new litter free zone.

The long-time smoker, from Redcar, said he apologised to the street warden who caught him, and picked up the cigarette end.

However, he was still given the fine.

The retired mobile crane driver, who underwent a triple heart bypass operation before Christmas, admitted he was wrong to drop the cigarette end.

However, he said the warden's actions were harsh, and that he could have warned him first.

He said: "When I finished the cigarette, I flicked it in front of me.

"The next moment, one of the wardens came over and said 'you have committed an offence by dropping litter'.

"I apologised and picked it up, but he still fined me."

A spokesman for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council said it had a duty to enforce the regulations.

There are more than 120 signs and banners in the town centre advising people it is a litter-free zone.

Anyone dropping litter can be fined £50.

It is part of a drive to clean the High Street following criticisms about the amount of litter and cigarette ends.