A fly-tipper caught on camera dumping rubbish near Margate seafront has to fork out almost £5,000 after ending up in court.

Ian Houghton, from Margate, was found guilty of fly-tipping at Folkestone Magistrates' Court after CCTV captured footage of him emptying the contents of a trailer in Buenos Ayres in February.

He was fined £2,640 and ordered to pay £2,074.38 costs for legal, enforcement and waste clearance and must pay within 28 days.

Another fly-tipper was found guilty the same day after being caught dumping waste by farmland on Marsh Farm Road in Minster, which he had been paid to remove from a residential property in Westgate-on-Sea.

Roy Branch, from Ramsgate, was fined £400 for fly-tipping, £200 for carrying waste without a valid licence and ordered to pay £651.65 in costs for enforcement and waste clearance.

Cllr Steve Albon, cabinet member for operational services at Thanet District Council, says people must be cautious when someone offers to take their waste away and check that they’re licensed to do so.

"The council offers a bulky waste collection service, charged at a nominal rate, for people who have larger items they wish to dispose of," he said.

"There is also a recycling centre run by Kent County Council at Manston Road which is open daily.

"We urge residents to make use of these services.

"Illegally dumping waste can have serious consequences for individuals. It also has the potential to hugely impact the environment, cause harm to wildlife and negatively affect health.

"We all need to work together to keep Thanet clean."

Rogue traders are currently advertising on social media as rubbish and bulky waste collectors and then fly tipping it across Kent.

Many people are unaware that they could face a penalty of up to £400 if an unlicensed carrier fly-tips their waste.

Anyone who wishes to use the council’s bulky waste collection can telephone 01843 577 115.

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet