Six people have been hit with bills for hundreds of pounds after they were prosecuted for not putting their rubbish out properly.

Blackburn with Darwen council took the group to court after serving them with notices for putting extra bin bags alongside wheelie bins.

Five of them were fined £150 and ordered to pay £150 costs. They were Robert Newton, of Dyson Street, Blackburn, Debbie Kehoe, of Nancy St, Darwen, Nasib Shigri, of Frances Street, Darwen, Heron Amy Wright, of Newton Street, Darwen, and Jonathan Bell, of Leach Street, Blackburn.

Michelle Young, of Victoria Street, Darwen, was fined £250 and ordered to pay £150 costs.

All the defendants were also ordered to pay £15 towards a fund to help victims of crime.

Coun Salim Lorgat, executive member for housing and neighbourhoods, said the council would not collect "side waste" - extra bin bags dumped next to wheelie bins.

He said: "If people do have extra bags of rubbish, which we accept can happen from time to time, we advise them to take them to the household recycling centre."

The six were prosecuted under the Environmental Protection Act, which requires householders to only put their waste in the proper containers.

None of them turned up to court when they were found guilty on Friday.