Fines for fly-tipping, littering and other environmental crimes are being increased, a council has said.

West Oxfordshire District Council said  there were more than 1,100 fly tipping incidents in the district between October 1, 2022 and September 30 2023.

The estimated cost of the clean-up was above £20,000 plus the waste tipping costs.

Those caught fly-tipping in West Oxfordshire will now be made to pay £1,000 - up from £400.

Fines for those who litter or graffiti will increase from £150 to £500.

And fines for those who dispose of their household waste incorrectly are rising from £400 to £600.

The council said in October alone, it undertook 19 investigations, sent seven warning letters and issued eight fixed penalty notices to those who did not dispose of waste legally.

It follows a change in government legislation, which is giving councils the chance to boost fees to stop damage to the environment.

Cllr Lidia Arciszewska, executive member for environment, said: “Nobody likes a litter lout and there is no excuse for dumping rubbish anywhere in our beautiful district.

"Disposing of it in the correct place such as street bins, recycling centres or taking your waste home is the responsible thing to do.

“By increasing the penalties for those caught in the act, we can deter those who consider spoiling our streets or damaging our environment.

"We need to do all that we can to bring offenders to account and by issuing larger fixed penalty notices, we hope to deter offenders and create a better environment for residents and wildlife”.