A woman who continued to pile rubbish outside her home for months despite receiving several notices from Croydon Council has been fined and told to clear up or face further legal action.

Noreen Chambers, of Burlington Road, Thornton Heath, failed to attend Camberwell Green Magistrates Court on January 12 and a sentence was passed in her absence.

She was ordered to pay more than £3,500 due to the mountain of waste that had been building up and spilling out into the road outside her home since October 2015.

The council first attempted to contact the owner of the house in Burlington Road after neighbours complained about the heaps of rubbish surrounding the property.

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On visiting the property a neighbourhood officer found household and garden rubbish piled high in the front and back gardens but was unable to gain access.

The local authority issued her with a Community Protection Warning in November 2015, requiring her to clear up the mess by December.

In February last year, when she had still failed to reply or to clean up the rubbish, which was still accumulating, and the council served a community protection notice on the property.

Following this Ms Chambers did contact the council to request an extension allowing her until March to clear the site, which was granted.

But she still failed to take any action to clear the site and officers confirmed through visits to the property that not only was rubbish still heaped in the garden, it was now spilling out onto the pavement and the kerb.

In April she failed to attend an interview with the council and after efforts to engage with her and resolve the issue informally, Croydon Council commenced legal proceedings.

Cllr Stuart Collins, cabinet member for clean and green, said: “This is a horrendous example of how the inconsiderate behaviour of one person can blight a community.

“Rubbish dumped in residential areas not only looks and smells awful, it can be a serious health hazard.

“Clean streets are a priority for us and we will always try to work with all Croydon’s residents and help them dispose of waste responsibly but as our Don’t Mess With Croydon campaign shows, we won’t hesitate to take a tough stance and use enforcement powers when required.

“We have done everything in our power to work with Ms Chambers but she has refused to respond.”

Ms Chambers £100 for failing to comply with a Community Protection Notice in relation to her property in Burlington Road and ordered her to pay £3,400 court costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

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