LITTERING a national cycleway has cost a shopkeeper more than £500.

Middlesbrough Council enforcement officers traced a large amount of cardboard and other shop waste to the Stop 'n' Shop general dealers, on Crescent Road, Middlesbrough.

The rubbish was dumped on the National Cycle Network Path at Marsh Road.

Teesside Magistrates' Court heard how shop owner Rashad Mahmood had given the waste to a man offering to get rid of it, but failed to check for waste carrier licenses.

In November last year, two enforcement officers came across the piles of rubbish.

Dr Anthony Luke, principal officer in environmental protection, said: "They immediately photographed the scene and examined the evidence.

"Cash and carry receipts were found, including the shop address and name of the owner.

"In the past two years, we have dealt with 25 prosecutions and we haven't lost any."

When interviewed, 31-year-old Mahmood said he had given his waste to a man who offered to take it away for free.

He had told him he ran a skip business, but Mahmood admitted he did not make any checks.

Mahmood admitted failing to take reasonable steps to ensure his waste was disposed of properly, an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and was fined £200 with £321 costs.

Councillor Barry Coppinger, cabinet member with responsibility for community safety, said: "Whether by naivety or negligence, this shopkeeper has failed to take some pretty elementary steps to make sure he didn't cause a nuisance.

"People who fly-tip cost council tax payers thousands of pounds every year.

"This case shows that we are extremely vigilant and that short cuts can be expensive."

Dr Luke added: "Cleaning up litter costs £2.3m a year, so a phone call can not only help keep the town tidier, it can save us all money."

To report incidents of flytipping, call the environmental protection team on (01642) 726001.

People caught dropping litter get a £50 fixed penalty, but if they do not pay, they can be taken to court, where they face a £2,500 fine.