LITTERBUGS could be hit where it hurts if they are caught in the act in the streets of Ipswich – in the pocket.After the Evening Star highlighted the mess accumulating around the town centre, Ipswich Borough Council today pledged to take action.

LITTERBUGS could be hit where it hurts if they are caught in the act in the streets of Ipswich – in the pocket.

After the Evening Star highlighted the mess accumulating around the town centre, Ipswich Borough Council today pledged to take action.

In a clean sweep plans are afoot to tackle the problem on two fronts.

Hefty on-the-spot fines could be dished out to those spreading the cancer of our society.

If the irresponsible louts are once bitten twice shy, we may be one step closer to finding an effective cure.

A borough council spokesman said: "New Government legislation has given us powers to hand out fines to people who drop litter. We are not sure how such a scheme would work at the moment but are looking into it."

The scheme is likely to mirror a successful one pioneered in Leicester that has been running since April.

Hard-hitting advertisements, warning people that they would face a £50 fixed penalty if caught dropping litter in the city were put on buses, street banners and posters.

Litter wardens patrolling the city will hand out the punishments to offenders, even those carelessly discarding a cigarette butt.

Anyone failing to pay within 14 days will be pursued through the courts.

Ipswich council is also planning to tackle the unsightly piles of litter that build up at the skate park near Stoke Bridge.

New schedules will ensure that litter-pickers visit the site more regularly when the rubbish, mainly plastic bottles and fast food packaging, builds up.

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