Dripping fine

A £75 fine has been given to a Dorset man for "dripping his cigarette" out of a car window. Alan Joyce of Lower Parkstone, Poole, has said by "dripping" Poole Council must mean flicking his cigarette ash.

The retired 68-year-old said: "I am really annoyed - to me that is not worth being branded a litter bug."

Councillor Don Collier, who said he was unable to comment on individual cases, said: "The people of Poole won't tolerate littering."

Mr Joyce, a former carpenter, was served a fixed penalty notice which states he must pay the fine within 14 days or face court action.

It states that on 25 July a council officer had reason to believe Mr Joyce was "dripping his cigarette" from his car while driving along Sandbanks Road, Poole. Mr Joyce plans to pay the fine but has said he will complain to the council.

He said: "I can't remember doing it, so I can't deny it. But it is annoying when you see other things like chewing gum on the streets and the litter left in my garden after Friday nights."

Mr Collier, environment portfolio holder for Poole Borough Council, said: "Poole operates a vigilant fixed penalty notice scheme to discover people who are littering our town."