A woman from Reigate faces a bill of over two and a half thousand pounds after she left a bag of rubbish in a recycling bin in Woodhatch.

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council issued Ms Hien Nguyen with an £80 fine after identifying her from her refuse which the council had found in a recycling bin.

As Ms Nguyen did not pay the initial fine, the council took her to court where magistrates issued a fine, together with added costs and a victim surcharge, making the total over two and a half thousand pounds.

When wrong materials are put in recycling containers, the council risks having the entire contents refused for recycling, meaning that it will be sent to landfill instead.