The owner of Ashwell Stores must pay more than £1,000 after cardboard boxes, National Lottery slips and other waste from the shop was fly-tipped in the countryside just south of the picturesque village.

The items were dumped off Claybush Road after shop owner Trudy Dabreo, 57, handed over the commercial waste to an unauthorised third party for disposal.

The rubbish was traced back to Ashwell Stores by North Herts District Council environmental crime officers.

Ms Dabreo – who lives in Ashwell and acquired the High Street shop from Jeet Dahdra in September last year – admitted failing in her responsibility of ‘duty of care’ when she appeared before St Albans magistrates on Friday.

Magistrates gave her a six-month conditional discharge and ordered her to pay £1,000 in costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Councillor Bernard Lovewell, who is responsible for environmental health at the district council, said: “Businesses have a legal obligation to ensure that any waste produced on their property is either disposed of responsibly by them, or passed on to persons authorised to dispose of it. Otherwise, they run the risk of a criminal prosecution.

“If you intend to use anyone other than the council to remove or transport your waste, check to make sure they are authorised to do so.”

For a full list of registered waste carriers in North Hertfordshire and neighbouring areas see gov.uk/environment-agency.

For more on the district council’s bulky waste collection service search for ‘bulky waste items’ at north-herts.gov.uk, or call the council’s waste contractor Veolia on 0800 328 6023.