by Martin Jefferies

It's easy to get lost in a good book - but hundreds of thousands of Kent readers are losing track of time when it comes to returning items to the library.

More than 810,000 fines totalling £450,000 were issued last year for the late return of books, as well as items like DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs and audio books.

Around one in 10 of the 7.7 million items issued in 2009/10 were brought back late.

Forgetful bookworms netted Kent County Council (KCC) more than £225,000, with a further £100,000 worth of fines still outstanding.

In Medway, fines totalling than £64,000 were collected, with around £51,000 worth of fines yet to be paid.

Overdue charges have been falling in recent years, as have the number of library items issued, according to figures seen by KentOnline.

In 2009/10, more than £320,000 was paid out in fines, with £155,000 still owed to KCC and Medway Council. Around 7.9 million items were borrowed from the county's libraries.

The largest fine in Kent was the maximum £25, issued for an item that was 50 days or more overdue. In Medway, the biggest fine was the maximum £15.

KCC currently charges 15p per day for books that are brought back late, up to a maximum of £6. For films and TV programmes, the rate is currently 50p per day.

In Medway, the fine is 20p per day, while the late charge for DVDs, Blu-rays and video games is £2.50 per day.