A Workington man has been convicted for having piles of rubbish in his back yard.

Robert Blair, of Barnes Road, Workington, appeared before West Cumbria Magistrates and was found guilty of failing to comply with a legal notice, issued by Allerdale council, requiring him to clean up his land.

The order is used when a local authority considers that the condition of land or buildings is having a harmful effect on the area.

Blair was fined £300, £100 costs and a £30 surcharge.

Councillor Michael Heaslip, executive member for locality services, said: "It is not acceptable for someone to create such a mess that it affects the lives of those living and working around them.

"Seeing mounds of waste pile up on a scale like this had a very negative impact in the area and I hope this prosecution sends out a message that we will take action."

The legal notice was served by the council in May 2016 but Mr Blair failed to comply with it.

The piles of waste at the back and side of his house included tyres, metal, concrete slabs and wood, glazing and piping materials, wheelbarrow and a trailer chassis.