Two fly-tippers have been fined a total of almost £3,000 after they were caught dumping household waste.

Dominic Bennett, of Colson Road, Loughton, and James Leach, of Harvey Gardens, Loughton, both admitted fly-tipping during two separate incidents last year.

Bennett was caught on CCTV dumping a fridge freezer on a patch of grass in Bushfields, Loughton, before Epping Forest Council officers were made aware of the incident on October 25, 2016.

He was offered the chance to pay a fixed penalty of £200 to avoid prosecution, but he decided not to pay the penalty.

He later pleaded guilty to fly-tipping at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on July 6 and was ordered to pay a £320 fine, £1,170 in costs and a £32 victim surcharge.

A fly-tip at a garage area in Chequers Road, Loughton, was then reported to the council on November 10 last year.

Officers were later able to trace the waste back to Leach.

He admitted he had asked a person who knocked on his door to remove 40 black sacks for £70 cash-in-hand.

Mr Leach was fined £461 and ordered to pay £758 for the council’s prosecution costs together with a victim surcharge of £46- a total fine of £1,265.86.

Epping Forest Council environment portfolio holder, Cllr Will Breare-Hall said: “It’s vital when you’re disposing of waste that you do it responsibly.

“Mr Leach failed to check the man he used was licensed to carry out the job and he ultimately paid the price.”