Man 10 yards from bin caught dropping cigarette on moors in height of summer

A man who dropped a cigarette butt on moorland in the height of summer, despite being just metres away from a waste bin, has been prosecuted and fined.

Council bosses who took Adnan Ali to court described his actions - set against a backdrop of devastating moorland blazes across Greater Manchester over recent summers - as 'reckless', adding it 'could have had far-reaching consequences'.

Ali, who failed to attend a court to be sentenced, was witnessed dropping a cigarette butt on Saddleworth Moor above Oldham in July last year.

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Oldham council said two council enforcement officers spotted him - and he was only 10 metres away from a rubbish bin at the time.

Thousands of acres of Saddleworth Moor were engulfed in fire in a devastating blaze in 2018 - one of the largest wildfires in UK history which led to the Army being placed on standby and residents in neighbouring villages evacuated. Many of the wildfire blazes have been treated as arson, but no fire was caused by Ali dropping the cigarette.

Emma Barton, Executive Director for Place and Economic Growth at the council, said: "Dropping a cigarette butt anywhere across the borough can lead to you being fined. But discarding one on moorland is reckless and could have had far-reaching consequences.

"Over the last few years, a number of moorland fires are believed to have been started by cigarettes. The impact on wildlife and the environment has been huge. The council wants to see people enjoying our countryside but acting responsibly.

A Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) is in place on Saddleworth Moor. Various types of fires, and that includes fireworks and camping stoves, are banned."

The council said