A driver has been fined £200 for abandoning their car at a leisure centre.

The vehicle was left at Breckland Leisure Centre, Thetford, in September 2020 and sparked an investigation from enforcement officers at the district council.

After the owner failed to respond to letters, officers tracked them down to a second address in Thetford and subsequently removed the car.

The motorist has since been handed a £200 fixed penalty notice, issued under legislation including the Refuse Disposal Act and Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act.

The fine is the maximum legislation allows and is the first time Breckland Council has issued a penalty for an abandoned vehicle.

It is now running a new campaign targeting vehicles abandoned in the community.

Gordon Bambridge, cabinet member for environmental and public protection, said a "small minority" of drivers needed to be "more considerate" of local residents before abandoning vehicles.

Visit breckland.gov.uk/report-abandoned-vehicle to report an abandoned vehicle.