Supermarkets could face £20,000 fines if they fail to take action to stop customers dumping trolleys in nearby rivers.

Ashford Borough Council officers are exploring new powers under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act which would pressure store managers to find ways to keep trolleys on site, and stop customers walking home with them.

It follows a report by the Environment Agency which revealed that 28 trolleys were pulled out of the Aylesford Stream and River Stour near the Asda supermarket in Kimberley Way in December.

The trolleys create flood risks for residents in South Willesborough as they block branches and other debris in the water, creating artificial dams.

"At a South Willesborough and Newtown community meeting, council officer Danny Regan said new powers were being considered to get Asda to take action.

He said: “We could issue a community protection notice warning. This is a power which has recently been made available to local authorities. We will initially write a warning letter, followed by enforcement action.”

He cited a recent case where a council in the North of England fined Tesco £20,000 for not addressing the problem of dumped trolleys, and said he has written to that council to ask about the case.

The fine is believed to be imposed against individual offending shops, rather than the business as a whole, as a means of getting managers to act.

Cllr David Smith (Ind), who represents South Willesborough, claimed Asda managers at the store in Kimberley Way have been reluctant to address the issue.

He said: “Kids are nicking them and tying them together before they put them in the river, so it starts to flood. I got a call from a concerned neighbour who keeps an eye on river levels the last time it started to flood.

“Luckily last time there was an Environment Agency team nearby in the area. We also have a Trolleywise man who collects the trolleys from Newtown and South Willesborough.

“But he is not allowed to fetch them from the rivers because of the risk of illness and contamination. Asda won’t accept trolleys which have been in the rivers – you get things like Weil’s disease.”

KedntOnline has contacted Asda for a comment.

A spokesman for the council confirmed that they are investigating what action could be taken and how to work with supermarkets to solve the problem.