An Accrington man has been ordered to pay over £1,500 in fines and costs for failing to clear up rubbish from his back yard.

Hyndburn council enforcement officers visited Andrew Holden’s property on Exchange Street in Accrington and saw an accumulation of bags of rubbish, household refuse and furniture in the back yard.

After numerous requests by enforcement officers to clean up the mess were ignored, they served Mr Holden, 29, with an abatement notice, which he failed to act on and he was summoned to Accrington Magistrates Court, where he was convicted in his absence and ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £1,505.

Councillor Clare Cleary, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “The back yard of this property on Exchange Street was a mess with household refuse, furniture and other rubbish accumulated there. We gave Mr Holden plenty of chances to get it cleared but when he failed to do so enforcement officers issued an abatement notice, which he failed to act on, and so we had no other choice but to take him to court.

“The council offers a bulky waste service, which Mr Holden could have made use of.”