FLY tippers could see themselves being caught on camera and dragged through the courts as the war on rubbish dumpers is stepped up.Suffolk councils are increasing their focus on catching dumpers on CCTV and are vowing not to give up their fight against the tippers.

FLY tippers could see themselves being caught on camera and dragged through the courts as the war on rubbish dumpers is stepped up.

Suffolk councils are increasing their focus on catching dumpers on CCTV and are vowing not to give up their fight against the tippers.

Fly-tipping is a persistent problem for councils like Mid Suffolk, Babergh and Suffolk Coastal district councils.

Today Mid-Suffolk District Council warned it was increasing its use of closed circuit television cameras in a bid to catch fly-tippers in the act while Suffolk Coastal District Council has revealed it is working with the Environment Agency in developing new initiatives to combat illegal dumping.

Paul Lewis, Mid Suffolk's waste and environmental co-ordinator said they would start using CCTV on areas which suffer regularly.

And the council is warning it will seek to make use of laws which not only allow fly-tippers to be fined but face having their property seized too.

Mr Lewis said: "If it does go to court you will get a criminal record - it is a criminal offence.

"We've even got powers where we can confiscate vehicles if we suspect a vehicle is involved in fly-tipping."

The Evening Star's Dump the Dumpers campaign has highlighted a spate of fly-tipping incidents in the last fortnight, including the dumping of a load of bricks, rusty metal and wood near a graveyard at the Church of St Mary and St Peter at Barham.

Last week more than 100 tyres were dumped in the car park of Bramford Meadows nature reserve and picnic site, enraging regular users of the beauty spot.

A common form of fly-tipping is the dumping of bags of household rubbish beside the road, often at night, but building and industrial waste are also commonly illegally dumped.

A Babergh District Council spokesman said: "Babergh considers fly-tipping to be a serious anti-social crime.

"Residents who commit these crimes must understand that Babergh is determined to track them down and deal with them as the law allows."

Earlier this year an investigation by Babergh District Council resulted in a company being caught and cautioned for discharging a load of cement onto a lay-by.

The council is also now capitalising on closer links with the DVLA to enable it to trace vehicles suspected of being used for fly-tipping.

It is using those powers to trace the person who dumped items in Belmont Road, Pinebrook, in May after a member of the public noted the registration number of the dumper's car.

Mid Suffolk District Council is pursuing three people suspected of fly-tipping by using evidence gathered by officers who trawled through dumped rubbish in a bid to track the offenders.

Suffolk Coastal District Council has recruited businesses in its fight by encouraging them to do their bit to tackle fly-tipping.

"We've targeted several hundred businesses regarding their duty of care regarding correct disposal of waste," a spokeswoman for the council said.

Officers are also working with the Environment Agency to develop "some new initiatives" which are yet to be unveiled.

Do you think enough is being done to prevent fly-tipping? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk or visit the forum at www.eveningstar.co.uk.