An expensive 4 x 4 vehicle was ruthlessly crushed – without
its owner's knowledge.
The Mitsubishi Shogun, which can cost up to £35,000, was
seized and destroyed after its driver was spotted dumping rubbish.
Determined council bosses hunted down the vehicle to an address
in Leyland following a spate of incidents last year when large
quantities of tyres were dumped in various parts of Wigan.
In March a concerned member of the public alerted the council's
specialist fly-tipping enforcement team to dumped tyres near Spring
Bank Industrial Estate in Platt Bridge.
In September another resident saw a man dumping tyres on land
off Westwood Lane, Ince.
Two days later the same man was back committing a similar offence
at the same spot.
Investigations centred on a Shogun which was seen speeding away
from the scene.
Once the vehicle was traced, Wigan Council used powers under
the Disposal of Controlled Waste Regulations 1991 to seize the
vehicle from an address in Leyland.
It was crushed at a breaker's yard yesterday.
Officials at Wigan Metro say the move demonstrates their tough
stance on illegal dumping.
Fly-tipping enforcement team manager Dave Bithell said: "The
owner faces a hefty fine or even a jail term, so we don't expect
him to be coming forward at this stage.
"What we have done instead is crush his vehicle and send
out the message that environmental vandalism will not be tolerated.
"We will investigate and will do whatever we can to prosecute
those involved."
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