A man must pay £360 after blocking a drain with cement.

Peter Loveday, of Eastcourt Lane, washed out a cement mixer and emptied the contents into a drain in Gillingham Road on November 8, last year. No water could pass down the gully as a result.

Medway Council officers were on duty that day when they came across the blocked drain. They spotted a cement mixer near by and approached Loveday who was using the machine.

The 62-year-old appeared at Medway Magistrates Court on Tuesday, May, 6, where he pleaded guilty to incorrect disposal of controlled waste.

He did state however, that it was a weak mix of cement that he disposed of.

He was fined £250 as well as £85 costs and a £25 victim surcharge.

Cllr Peter Hicks, in charge of community safety, said: “In this case the man caused considerable damage to the drain and completely blocked it.

"His actions could have resulted in flooding as it was around November time when we were experiencing very bad weather.

"This is unacceptable behaviour and anyone caught disposing of controlled waste in this way will be prosecuted.

“The council spends £166,000 a year cleaning highway drains and incidents like this add to this large sum.”