Six residents have been handed £75 fines and 700 more sent warning letters for putting out their rubbish too early in Dudley, it emerged today.

Dudley Council bosses have vowed to crack down on people putting out their waste early and obstructing footpaths with bin bags.

The authority has a rule that rubbish should not be left out before 7.30pm on the night before collection.

The clampdown wsa launched in September last year but Dudley Council’s environment chief, councillor David Stanley, said penalties were only issued when “absolutely necessary”.

“As a result of this approach, the council has issued 700 reminder letters to residents who have put their bags out too early and/or obstructed the highway to remind them of the correct protocol,” he said.

“In most cases local residents have worked with the council.

“In the few cases where residents have not complied and refuse has continually been put out too early the council has issued a total of six fixed penalty notices this year.”

The warnings and fines have been handed out since September last year.

Council spokeswoman Amy Shaw added: “If residents put their rubbish out too early causing a potential public health issue, put it in the wrong place or cause an obstruction to the footpath and this is reported to the council and the violation observed by an authorised council officer then the council has the right to issue a fixed order penalty of £75.”

The council say issuing fixed penalty notices is used as a “last resort”.