Swadlincote Police have sent a message out to 'fly-tipping hooligans' that their vehicles could end up seized and crushed.

The town's Safer Neighbourhood Team have released photos online of a vehicle meeting its end at a scrapyard after being taken away by officers last month.

And police have used it as a warning to fly-tippers that unlawfully dumping rubbish in areas of South Derbyshire will not be tolerated.

The SNT also posted a message which reads: "Cast your mind back to mid-September and you may remember that we brought news that officers had seized three mullock-tipping vehicles in South Derbyshire.

Officers from South Derbyshire Safer Neighbourhood Team joined forces with South Derbyshire District Council's Environmental Team to grab the cars that had been used in the illegal dumping of rubbish throughout our beautiful area.

"Your Safer Neighbourhood Team is today announcing that one of the cars have now been crushed at a local scrap yard thanks to the hard work by our Environmental Health Officers.

"Sergeant Tarj Nizzer says: "To these fly-tipping hooligans – what were you thinking?

"If you think you can use South Derbyshire as your own personal dump then think again.

"Officers from our local district council worked with our team to gather intelligence and ultimately seize these vehicles.

"And to the driver who attempted to take the tyres off one of the vehicles to stop us getting the car, before we put them back on the same car, then the good news is the freshly installed tyres made a lovely popping sound when they went through the crusher."

"For the avoidance of doubt, vehicle owners who dump mullock, will find their vehicles will become mullock.

"The Environmental Protection Act 1990 S34b allows us to seize a vehicle, trailer or mobile plant if it is:

• used in fly-tipping.
• driven by somebody who is not a registered waste carrier.
• used to move waste to somebody who is not a registered waste carrier.
• used at a site that is breaking the rules of an environmental permit."