A TROWBRIDGE building company and one of its directors have been ordered to pay more than £25,000 after being found guilty of illegal dumping.

R H Tomlinssons (Trowbridge) Ltd and director Thomas Rothschild were ordered to stump up the cash following an investigation by the Environment Agency.

Legal action was sparked after the agency received complaints from residents about dumping and disposal of waste at Church Road, Heywood, near Westbury, two years ago.

Environment Agency spokesman Mike Dunning said: "It was a lengthy trial but we had no alternative but to take action after three members of the public complained.

"They complained about the quantity of waste material deposited on the land. Local councillors also raised concerns."

Inspection of the site revealed a 2m-high pile of rubbish, including old beds, mattresses and carpets, plastic piping and sheeting, broken furniture, plastic bottles and a vacuum cleaner.

Other waste, including brick rubble and broken tiles, was found on a lorry parked nearby. Both the company and the director had no licence to use the land for waste storage or disposal.

R H Tomlinssons (Trowbridge) Ltd was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £9,000 costs at Swindon Crown Court last week after it was found guilty of two offences relating to illegal dumping and the keeping of controlled waste at the site between August 10 and October 12 2001.

Rothschild, who chose to represent himself at the trial but was unavailable for comment this week, was also ordered to pay £11,500 in fines and costs for dumping controlled waste in the same field.

Mr Dunning said: "Mr Rothschild elected to go to trial and it was a nine-day hearing. That's why the costs were so high.

"We are pleased with the result. Hopefully, this should send out a warning to other people not to dispose of waste in this way."

Tony Owen, of the Environment Agency, was also pleased with the verdict.

He said: "This case came after we received a telephone call from a concerned member of the public.

"The agency takes tip-offs seriously and will always investigate them."

People can report illegal dumping by calling the Environment Agency's 24-hour emergency hotline on (0800) 807060.