A MAN has been fined for burning waste materials in his garden.

A man in North Somerset was found guilty in his absence of failing to comply with an abatement notice which required him to prevent the recurrence of the nuisance of smoke from his premises.

He was fined £660, ordered to pay costs of £2371.45 and a victim surcharge of £264.

North Somerset Council issues abatement notices when residents cause a statutory nuisance and will take court proceedings if these notices are ignored.

Cllr James Clayton, executive member for Safety in the Community at North Somerset Council, said: “Mr Garvey was given a clear notice to stop causing a nuisance with excessive bonfire smoke but chose to ignore this, so we were forced to progress the matter to court.

“The smoke which was acrid in nature was being regularly created by Mr Garvey when he was burning waste materials in his garden.”