A man has been fined hundreds of pounds after throwing till receipts and a cigarette packet from his car.

Mick Drew, aged 60, of Paradise Road in Waltham Abbey, was fined £400 and ordered to pay court costs of £256.87 after he threw the litter from his vehicle in nearby Darby Drive on March 30.

An environment and neighbourhoods officer from Epping Forest District Council saw him throwing the items out of the window and issued him with a fixed penalty notice.

After Drew failed to pay, court proceedings began and he also failed to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on July 9.

The charge of littering was proved in his absence.

Councillor Will Breare-Hall, environment portfolio holder, said: “Most of our residents appreciate the positive effect that keeping our district clean and tidy has on their lives, but sadly there are a few who forget.

“We work incredibly hard to keep the streets clean for our residents, businesses and visitors, helping ensure the district remains an attractive and enjoyable place in which to live, work and relax.”

He added: “We hope to educate people that binning your litter is the smart, classy, cool, and above all else, a pretty easy thing to do.”

The council has recently joined the #binit and Love Essex anti-litter campaigns.