The owner of a garden used as a dumping ground has finally cleaned up his act.

An eyesore in Rock Avenue, Gillingham, blighted by junk and overgrown weeds has been cleared – nine months and a court case later.

Medway Council received complaints over the state of a property and contacted the owner Muhammad Seyed.

Despite efforts from council enforcement officers since October 2014 Seyed, from Wembley, did not make any attempt to clear the mess, ignoring letters, warnings and even a legal notice.

Some of the item included rubbish, slabs and pieces of wood - and even a bed dumped there.

He appeared at Medway Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, August 11, and pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a legal notice under section 215 Town & Country Planning Act 1990.

He was fined £200 and must pay £250 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Seyed did eventually tidy the back garden in July - but the court date was fixed and it was three months after the deadline given in the legal notice.

Medway Council’s head of enforcement Cllr Jane Chitty said: “If only this individual had responded when initially approached, a lot time would have been saved. As a result of his delay and lack of cooperation, something which could have been easily dealt with, ended up in court.”