A builder has been fined hundreds of pounds after waste was dumped on a road in Harwood.

Last week, The Bolton News reported on a private road that gave access from Stitch-Mi-Lane to Harwood House was blocked due to fly-tipping.

Since then a council investigation has linked the waste to an address in Bolton.

When questioned, a builder admitted to paying an unknown male £80 to remove the waste, which he thought would be disposed of at the tip.

In the investigation, the council found that the man failed to make the necessary duty of care checks that the man he paid held a waste carrier licence.

The builder has now been fined £400, which was later reduced to £300 for early repayment.

An investigation is underway to find the person responsible for removing the waste which has led to the flytipping.

Saleem Hafizullah, woke up at his property on July 14 to find rubbish dumped on the road leading up to his property.

Within the flytipping, Saleem found unopened letters.

Saleem said his main concern was that emergency service vehicles are not able to access the property if they needed to.

However, he said he is now over the moon the fly-tipping is gone and someone has been fined.

He said: "I was happy that the flytipping was removed and regarding getting fined, its the chance the builder has taken being a professional builder.

"I'm alright with the situation now, I just wanted to be able to get into and out of the house, and obviously I don't want it to happen again.

"According to what I have heard, the builder asked someone else to remove the rubbish and theres no doubt that the person who was paid then dumped the waste.

"I don't know the person responsible or the builder but I'm over the moon it's gone and if he has been fined, he has obviously chosen to get someone to remove it without the correct precautions.

"When I first rang environmental health I was getting nowhere but then Stuart Hartigan, the local councillor, got involved and the next day it was sorted, I just want to thank Stuart and the enforcement team, they were really good and helpful."

A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “Everyone has a legal duty of care to ensure their household or business waste is disposed of correctly.

“You can be fined or prosecuted if your waste is flytipped by someone else on your behalf.

“You should always use a registered waste carrier if someone else is collecting your waste.” 

Stuart Hartigan, ward councillor for Breightmet, said: "Residents of Bolton are fed up with fly-tipping and those who throw rubbish in the streets.

"The saying 'throwing litter keeps people in a job' is false, it's money which could be better spent elsewhere, likelihood is a local volunteer picks the rubbish up. 

"Since the Conservatives took over the council, the enforcement dept led by Cllr Hilary Fairclough are determined to use all powers available to punish those found responsible for dumping waste. 

"In this instance with the help of the family, it was found that the waste travelled halfway across Bolton to be dumped in a lovely rural spot on the edge of Breightmet.

"This is completely unacceptable.

"I am happy those responsible have been fined £400 and hope this acts as a deterrent to anyone considering behaving in the same way.

"On behalf of the residents of Breightmet, I'd like to thank the council's enforcement team for removing the waste and acting swiftly to resolve this situation."

You can find a registered waste carrier in your area on the Environment Agency’s website.