AN UNSUSPECTING father and son have been slammed with a hefty fine for flytipping in woodland in South Bucks.

South Bucks pair James Lockie, 51, and his son Richard Lockie, 30, both of Frensham Walk, Farnham Common, were fined £2,000 for dumping garden waste last summer.

On July 4 last year, a member of the public saw the two men dumping a log and tree cuttings from the back of a Land Rover in a wooded area near Langtons Meadow, Farnham Common.

Their number plate was noted and the offence was reported to South Bucks District Council – who traced the registration to Richard Lockie.

The two admitted to the flytipping when they were interviewed by the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire investigators at a police station, claiming that they did not realise it was an offence to dump their green waste in a wooded area.

The men were convicted at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, February 1, after both pleading guilty.

Andrew Lockie was fined £330 and Richard Lockie £350, with both men ordered to pay £701.50 towards costs, and an additional £30 and £35 respectively in victim surcharges – with the figures eventually totalling more than £2,000.

Sir Beville Stanier, Chairman of the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire, said: “Instead of using the free recycling centres, these men decided to assume that because they were dumping garden waste, it didn’t count as flytipping.

“The magistrates made it very clear that this is not the view of the community or, indeed, the law.”

To report illegal dumping in Bucks call 0845 330 1856 or visit old.buckscc.gov.uk/fly.