An Ipswich couple must pay more than £600 after their rubbish was flytipped in a layby on the outskirts of Ipswich.

Martin Davey and Michelle Banyard, of Emperor Circle, had claimed they had paid someone £80 to dispose of the waste.

When the pair appeared before Ipswich magistrates they pleaded guilty transferring household waste without taking reasonable measures.

A complaint was made to Ipswich Borough Council’s waste enforcement team by a member of the public on November 4 last year stating there was a large amount of flytipping in Westerfield Road, Ipswich.

An officer found a substantial amount of dumped items in the secluded layby including two mattresses, wood, carpet, underlay and cardboard boxes with names written on them.

Looking through the dumped items he also found a name and address of someone related to Davey on one box. In addition there was a box with the name Miss Mieda, a name also used by Banyard, on it.

The following day officers visited Davey’s relation who was shown photographs of the flytipped material and said one of the boxes had previously belonged to her but she had given it to Davey and Banyard to assist with their house move around October 2015.

Davey and Banyard were written to and were asked to go to the council’s offices for an interview under caution.

Mr Davey telephoned and said he was unable to attend due to work commitments.

In April this year they attended an interview under caution.

Banyard admitted she had paid someone £80 to take her rubbish away and failed to check their waste carrier’s documents or ask for a receipt.

She thought he seemed genuine enough because he said he would take the stuff to the Foxhall dump for them.

Davey and Banyard apologised in court for not doing what they should have done.

Both were fined £100 and ordered to pay £151.50 costs as well as £20 to the victims’ fund.

They must also each pay £50 compensation to the farmer whose land the waste was dumped on.