Two men have been fined thousands for dumping and burning rubbish.

Gordon Hedges of Olivier Drive and Peter Spinks, of Pepys Way, both in Strood, must cough up more than £6,000 after illegally dumping and then burning waste at a site they rented in Brompton Farm, Strood.

Spinks, 29, was the one to set light to the huge mound of waste, which included food, plastic, rubble, aerosols and even a fire extinguisher.

People initially raised concerns to the council after smelling incinerated waste, seeing black smoke and hearing loud bangs from the farm.

Officers from Medway Council visited the farm and found the burn site with charred remains of items - plus more rubbish ready to be set alight.

The case was heard at Medway Magistrates’ Court on at the end of March.

Hedges, 57, pleaded guilty of depositing controlled waste/permitting controlled waste to be deposited.

He was fined £575, costs of £1,400 and £48 victim surcharge.

Spinks failed to appear in court and was found guilty of the same charge and a further offence of disposing of controlled waste.

He was fined £2,000 ordered to pay £1,905.45 costs and a £100 victim surcharge.