WARRINGTON Borough Council will next week launch an anti-litter campaign in the town centre, and are warning anyone who drops cigarette butts or other litter face £50 fines.

The campaign will involve a strong presence of council enforcement officers and CSO’s in the town centre for a fortnight.

Anyone found dropping litter will be liable for a fixed-penalty notice. If a fixed penalty notice of £50 is not paid in 10 days the penalty increases to £75 – and if this is not paid in 14 days of the original offence, offenders could face court and fines of up to £2,500.

Last year the council rain a similar campaign, where 70 fixed penalty notices were issued in the process. Several people were also summoned to appear before magistrates.

A council spokesman said: “What we want is a clean and attractive town that we can all feel proud of. What we don’t want is to have to fine people for spoiling it.”