Brent Council's fight against litterbugs in the borough has seen more than 1200 people fined within the first six weeks of having dedicated officers patrolling the streets.

Since the pilot scheme was introduced six weeks ago , Kingdom, the private company whose officers are handing out fines, have been deployed to hotspot areas across Brent .

Officers in these areas have been issuing £80 Fixed Penalty Notices to anyone caught in the act of committing a waste offence, including littering, paan spitting and not cleaning up after their dogs.

Residents or visitors who do not pay the fine could end up in court, where they face the prospect of being named and landed with a much heftier penalty.

The 12 month pilot scheme has been put in place to help keep streets clean and litter-free, and supports the efforts of Brent's existing Enviro-crime Enforcement Team, who work to investigate littering and illegally dumped rubbish offences and prosecute offenders.

Cllr Eleanor Southwood, Brent Council's Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: "Dropping litter is the kind of anti-social behaviour that really gets people's backs up, and rightly so. It's thoughtless, selfish and ruins shared spaces for everyone.

"Not only that, clearing and disposing of litter costs millions of pounds each year, and this money could be better spent in different areas.

"The majority of residents here in Brent love where they live and take great care of our streets and parks, which is why we are determined to take action against those whose behaviours are spoiling Brent for the rest of us.

"We want to make it as easy as possible for everyone in Brent to get rid of their waste legally, to recycle more and to take greater care and pride in the local area. These activities are part of our Love Where You Live campaign and send a clear message to residents and visitors that littering will not be accepted here in Brent."