RESIDENTS got rid of more than 1,000 tyres in an amnesty held in Carmarthen.

Organised by Tidy Towns and Carmarthenshire County Council, the amnesty was held in the car park of Morrisons super- market and allowed residents to dispose of unwanted tyres free of charge.

In total 1,086 tyres were collected.

The aim of the amnesty is to encourage householders to dispose of their waste responsibly and discourage fly-tipping, which is not only a blight on the landscape, but costs local authorities millions of pounds every year to clean up and causes harm to wildlife and the environment.

Tidy Towns project officer Kelly Shefford said: "We were amazed at the amount of tyres we collected in Carmarthen. Tyres are one of the most common items that are fly-tipped not only in Carmarthenshire but across the UK as a whole.

"We want to encourage people to do the right thing and dispose of their waste in a responsible manner."

Fly-tipping is a criminal offence and anyone caught could be fined up to £50,000 or even receive a prison sentence.

Tidy Towns is a Welsh Assembly Government- funded initiative which is delivered in partnership with Carmarthenshire Council and Keep Wales Tidy.

For further information on the Tidy Towns amnesties call Kelly Shefford at Tidy Towns on 01554 742159.