A Breckland builder has been fined £500 after he dumped toilet cisterns, bathroom fixtures and rubble in a front garden.

It came after those living in Thetford, where he lived and dumped the items complained to Breckland Council about the build-up of waste, which also included drawers, a bath tub and toilet seats.

Some of the items had been transported to the address as part of his building business activity and then stored in the front garden of his home, causing a significant eyesore.

Breckland Council’s Enforcement Team investigated and discovered the dump had been in place for a significant time and was being added to on a weekly basis.

As well as using his front lawn as a builder’s dump, he also used his household bin to dispose of construction waste.

He was issued with fixed penalty notices for two offences, which totalled £500, and given a Community Protection Warning, instructing the him to remove the commercial and construction waste within three weeks.

A court prosecution would be the next step should he continue to allow waste to build up in his garden.

Councillor Ian Sherwood, Breckland Council member for waste, environmental health, licensing and sustainability, said: “Our swift investigation has brought this inappropriate situation to an end, protected the environment and guaranteeing our residents do not have to suffer seeing extensive building waste mount up in this residential area in future.”