A woman has been fined after her household items were found dumped under an M1 bridge.

Sarah Manners, 43, of Curtiss Road Leaveden was fined £315 for the broken bed frame and mattress found under the bridge in Bedmond Lane in September last year.

She was prosecuted by St Albans City and District Council for failing to ensure her waste was disposed of properly at St Albans Magistrates Court on August 16.

The court that Mrs Manners paid a man with a van £25 that she found on Facebook to get rid of the items, but she did check he was licenced before passing him the waste.

The bedframe was marked with her an address in Leavesden linked to Mrs Manners.

The resident pleaded guilty and the court credited her for the early guilty plea, charging her £120 and ordering her to pay costs of £165 and a victim surcharge of £30.

Residents and businesses have a duty of care under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to make sure all waste is transferred only to authorised persons.

Anyone wishing to use a waste disposal carrier must check their licence, where the waste is going, and receive a receipt detailing this and information about the vehicle, which businesses are legally obliged to provide.

There are household waste and recycling centres across the county. For more information on these visit http://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/envplan/waste/wasteaware/hwrc1/.

To check if someone is an authorised waste carrier visit https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers or call 03708 506506.

The public are advised to call the police on 999 if they see fly-tipping in action, reporting the vehicle registration number and are requested to take a picture if possible, but are advised not to approach the fly-tippers.

If it is not an issue, call the police on 101, or report it to the district council by emailing wastemanagementservices@stalbans.gov.uk or calling 01727 809019.