The Vale of Glamorgan Council has warned residents and event organisers not to use Bonfire Night as an excuse to dump rubbish.

Placing any kind of waste material on a bonfire is against the law and regarded as fly-tipping, with those responsible liable for a £400 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) or court prosecution.

Any householder who uses an unauthorised waste carrier to get rid of rubbish can also end up in court or be issued with a £300 FPN by the Council.

People wanting to get rid of extra rubbish should take it to their nearest Recycling Centre or use a legitimate licensed carrier to dispose of it.

They could also contact the Council's bulky waste collection service.

Each householder has a duty of care to ensure that any waste carrier they use is legitimate.

The public should also get as much detail as possible about who is collecting their waste such as the person's name, company details, vehicle registration number and a receipt.

Checks can be made on the Natural Resources Wales website for waste carriers' licenses. A legitimate trader will not object to providing those details.

Cllr Edward Williams, Cabinet Member for Legal, Regulatory and Planning Services: "Bonfire Night can be enjoyable time, but it is also one where people try to discard items on bonfires – we would urge them to think again.

"Rogue waste carriers regularly use social media to advertise but people should steer well clear if they are unsure.

"We don't want to take people to court or to issue fines but we must make it clear that fly-tipping, dropping litter and dumping rubbish from cars is not acceptable.

"There are lots of free or inexpensive ways to legitimately dispose of rubbish and we would urge everyone to act responsibly and use the correct method."

Information about how to report fly-tipping and the Council's own bulky waste collection service can be obtained by calling 01446 700111 or visiting www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk