​THANET: New figures show more than 350 fines have been handed out across Thanet in the last year to people littering or allowing their dogs to foul.

In total, community wardens have issued 357 fixed penalty notices, an average of around 30 each month.

Anyone issued with a notice is handed a £60 fine which goes up to £80 if it’s not paid within 10 days.

Comparison with other authorities in East Kent shows that 50 tickets were issued in Canterbury, while only six were handed out in Dover during the same period.

If people fail to pay within two weeks of receiving the notice, a reminder letter is sent, before the case is then passed to the legal department.

Around 20 people each month are being summonsed to court and, of all the cases taken to court in the last six months, only two have found against the council.