FIVE more people have been hit with fines after they were caught dropping cigarette butts.

In the past two days, environmental enforcement officers from Basildon Council have dished out five fines.

A woman, 46, was caught throwing a butt from a car window in Uppermayne yesterday.

And officers caught two more people, a man and woman, both 36, dropping cigarette ends outside the shops in Felmores.

The day before another two people, a 46-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man, were also collared in the subway at Eastwalk, Basildon.

Four of them have already paid the fine of £50.

Terri Sargent, the council’s cabinet member for refuse and recycling, said: “Our aim is not to fine people, but to keep our streets free from litter.

“We hope this will make people think twice before dropping their cigarette ends and encourage them to dispose of their cigarettes responsibly.”

Earlier this week, the Echo revealed how a 21-year-old woman from Grays was the first person in the district to be hit with the fixed penalty notice for dropping a cigarette butt.

The woman had been visiting a relative at Basildon Hospital when she was spotted dropping the end.

The fines are part of Basildon Council’s new get-tough stance on people littering the streets. Bosses at the authority say the cleaning bill is costing taxpayers thousands.

Enforcement officers are upping patrols in Basildon, Wickford and Billericay town centres, Felmores shops and Basildon Hospital, in a bid to snare more offenders.