Eighteen people were stopped during a police and council operation to tackle flytipping.

Environmental health officers from Brentwood Council and Essex Police were out in force on Thursday checking people had the correct waste transfer notices and licences to transport commercial waste.

They stopped vehicles in Navestock and Kelvedon Hatch to check documents and give advice on disposing waste.

Cllr Sheila Murphy, deputy chairman of Brentwood Council’s environment committee, said: “The joint operation between us and the police shows that we will be unstinting in our efforts to stop flytipping in Brentwood.

“We are preventing flytipping as well finding out the identities of anyone involved in flytipping so that we can make them face justice.”

A council spokesman said in a statement: “The council will not tolerate criminals in this borough who illegally transport and dump waste to the detriment of our environment.

“We will ensure they face the full force of the legal system as this anti-social behaviour is unacceptable to our community and it will cost them dearly.”