EALING Council has issued more than £25,000 worth of fines since introducing penalties for littering a little more than a week ago.

Anyone caught dropping litter, dumping rubbish, spitting or allowing their dogs to do their business in the street is now being fined £80 by litter patrols out daily across the borough.

The fines were brought in on Wednesday September 23 and since then 320 have been issued, all for littering.

Ealing Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “We spend £4.5million each year cleaning up after people who feel it is ok, to litter our streets with rubbish, chewing gum, spitting or dog mess.

“Ealing residents are sick of seeing it and paying to get it cleaned up through their taxes.”

The patrols are being conducted by national security organisation Kingdom Security, who are working free of charge for Ealing Council and taking an undisclosed share of the fines they issue.

In 2013 the council launched Community Champions, a scheme where members of the public volunteer to improve Ealing’s public spaces.