A MAN was allegedly caught on camera fly-tipping rubbish-filled bags and garden waste near a protected nature reserve.

Images sent to The Mail show the alleged culprit fleeing the scene near South Walney nature reserve in a dark blue transit van.

The witness said: "He spotted me and was gone before I could get any nearer."

He was described as having a ‘stocky’ build wearing a ‘fake leather trilby hat.’

The man was allegedly seen just before Honey Pot Lane after he opened a gate between two sandstone pillars and dumping the waste.

Councillor Helen Wall, Barrow council's spokesman for Wildlife, Heritage and Culture said: “Council staff take this very seriously and don’t like it.

“This is such an anti-social thing to do and it is such a shame that it has happened.

“The council work hard to prosecute people who do such a thing and go through any dumped rubbish piece by piece to look for any possible clues.

“The council put in every effort for every report and will be over it like a rash.

“I hope they are found and never do it again.”

In January the government introduced new financial penalties to crack down on fly-tipping.

Any householder who fails to pass their waste to a licensed carrier, and whose waste is found fly-tipped, could face penalties of up to £400.

Barrow Council has a dedicated website where you can report fly-tipping.

It receives a number of reports of fly-tipping every week.

The nature of these reports vary from builder's rubble dumped in a country lane, to household furniture abandoned in back streets.

The council said cleaning up after fly-tippers is a burden for tax-payers.

It can also cause 'serious pollution' of the environment and can be harmful to human health, as well as 'lowering the standard' of the local environment

If you see waste that has been fly-tipped this can be reported to Barrow Council on 01229 876543 or at the customer services desk in Barrow Town Hall.