A FLY-tipper who dumped potentially hazardous roofing panels next to a residential garage has been jailed.

Ryan Clough, 26, tried to hide the corrugated roofing with leaves.

But he was caught on CCTV taking the materials, which can often contain asbestos, from a roof rack and dumping it at the side of the garage near Chorley Old Road, Whittle-le-Woods.

Town hall bosses estimate that fly-tipping costs authorities in East Lancashire and Chorley more than £400,000 a year.

As well as being jailed for 60 days, Clough, of Highfield Crescent, Nelson, was ordered to pay £1,414 costs after being convicted by Chorley magistrates. Council lawyers told the court that Clough could be seen on CCTV to park up, with another man, and pretend to fix the car’s engine.

But when the coast was clear the pair removed corrugated roofing from the vehicle and left it in a garden beside a garage.

However when they noticed a security camera overhead they attempted to conceal the roofing sheets with leaves. Clough’s car was later traced and he was questioned by environmental protection officers.

Coun Adrian Lowe, environment cabinet member for Chorley Council said: “I would like this case to be an example that the council take incidents of fly tipping extremely seriously as they cause a detrimental effect on the appearance and cleanliness of our borough and it costs local taxpayers a lot of money each year for us to clean up the mess.

“It can also pose a huge hazard to health and wellbeing of the community by polluting the environment and even more so on this occasion as corrugated roofing can often contain asbestos which is an extremely harmful substance.”

Fly-tipping offences usually attract hefty fines or, at the most, community service orders, according to council insiders, but jail terms are very rare.

Coun Lowe added: “I hope the severity of the sentence will make people think twice about dumping rubbish and ensure that people dispose of it properly rather than risk a jail sentence.”

Council officials in Burnley and Pendle have chosen to concentrate more on domestic fly-tippers — with fines topping £500 handed out to those with persisent dirty backyards.

But remote countryside areas such as Crown Point in Burnley and moorland near Colne have been repeated targets for flytippers in recent months.