More than 150 people have been fined for “fly-tipping” after leaving waste near “constantly full” bins at a recycling centre.

A grandmother and a primary school teacher who each left cardboard boxes next to overflowing containers are among those stung by the “unbelievable” penalties, which have raked in more than £10,000 for Croydon Council in the past two years.

The council insisted it did not “target people who legitimately want to recycle” but promised to review the management of its depots after being questioned about the figures this week.

It said some of the 155 fined since May 2014 were traders dumping industrial waste.

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But the Croydon Guardian has learned of several cases in which people attempted to recycle a small amount of household waste and were hit with fines.

Grandmother Linda Harding, 61, of Shirley, was forced to pay £80 after leaving cardboard packaging from her granddaughter’s high chair on the top of a “chock-a-block” bin at Monks Orchard Green recycling depot on January 6.

The council initially issued a fly-tipping penalty to her daughter Gemma, of Banstead, because the packaging had her address on it.

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Mrs Harding said: “My daughter wasn’t there. If she didn’t have a mother with the good grace to pay the fine for her, she could have had a criminal record against her name.

“We haven’t done one thing wrong in my eyes. I took three boxes to my waste site that I pay tax for.”

Mrs Harding contacted the Croydon Guardian following a story published two weeks ago about pregnant school teacher Rachel Thom, who was fined for leaving three flat-packed boxes next to overflowing bins at the same recycling centre.

The story prompted an angry response from readers, many of whom reporting being unable to recycle after finding to be full and were incredulous to hear of Mrs Thom's fine.

Your Local Guardian:

The recycling centre at Monks Orchard Green on Monday

Shirley mum Hannah, 40, who did not want her surname to be published, said she was issued an £80 fine for leaving packaging from her children’s Christmas presents next to overflowing containers at Monks Orchard Green.

She added: “The thing we’re so upset about is that we’re so environmentally conscious, and then we’re fined for fly-tipping.

“We couldn’t afford the risk taking it to court. I think it’s a bit of a money game for [the council.] I walk past it every day to take my son to school and it’s constantly full.”

Since being elected in May 2014, the Labour administration has loudly cracked down on fly-tipping with its Don’t Mess With Croydon campaign.

It publishes the names of everyone fined for fly-tipping and other littering offences in an online Hall of Shame.

But Mrs Harding said: “It’s unbelievable what’s gone on. You’re innocent until proven guilty. As far as I’m concerned I haven’t had a fair trial.”

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The council said it emptied some of the bins at its recycling centres six days a week. Signs at the centres warn "rubbish or recycling dumped in this area will be considered as fly-tipping".

But receptacles at Monks Orchard Green depot were full to the brim on Monday morning and had not been emptied by 4.30pm that day, forcing people to leave recycling on top.

Your Local Guardian:

Councillor Stuart Collins, who leads Don’t Mess With Croydon campaign, said he had “taken on board” concerns and promised to review collection schedules to try and alleviate the problem.

He said: “What we’re going to try and do is talk to [council contractor] Veolia about working smarter. If the paper is the problem, it would make more sense to collect the paper four days a week [instead of every other day].

“But if you do get there and it’s full up, just use a bit of common sense and take it somewhere else.”

A Croydon Council spokeswoman added: “We do not target people who legitimately want to recycle.”

Got a story? Call the newsdesk on 020 8722 6388 or email daniel.omahony@newsquest.co.uk