A COUPLE who claim they “have never been to Colchester” have been hit with a £150 fine after being accused of flytipping on the A12 near the city.

Kerry-Anne Ross, 35, was left in disbelief when she received a letter from Colchester Council containing photographs of her rubbish dumped on the A12 near Marks Tey.

The mother of four lives with her partner Gavin Farrell in Westcliff and said she disposed of her household waste the same way she always does with Southend Council.

Gazette: Dumped - rubbish spread out on the side of the A12Dumped - rubbish spread out on the side of the A12 (Image: Kerry-Anne Ross)

The rubbish was found spread out on the side of the road on Friday, January 12, and according to the letter from Colchester Council, it took three workers 30 minutes to clear up.

It was described as “a large flytip” consisting of several bags. The council told Kerry that five properties were identified within the flytip, all of which were from the same area.

Kerry-Anne Ross said: “It’s really getting me down and it’s really frustrating.

“I’ve got four kids, so I take the rubbish out before the school run every Wednesday and I have never had any issues.

Gazette: Clearing - three workers cleared the scene in 30 minutesClearing - three workers cleared the scene in 30 minutes (Image: Kerry-Anne Ross)

“I have no idea how my rubbish has ended up in Colchester, the only thing I can think of is that it must have fallen off the back of a lorry.

“I’m really struggling as it is with costs so this fine is giving me a lot of anxiety, especially as there is a threat of court action.

“It has made me really worry, not only am I trying to be careful to remove my addresses but I’m worried about the other people who have been caught up in this.

“It just feels like they don’t want to listen at all. It seems ridiculously odd to me.

Gazette: Stressed - Kerry-Anne Ross and Gavin FarrellStressed - Kerry-Anne Ross and Gavin Farrell (Image: Kerry-Anne Ross)

“I’d like it to be looked and assessed rather than them saying you have to pay whether you like it or not.

“It has my anxiety through the roof.”

A spokesman for Colchester Council said: “We acknowledge the recent case of an individual who received a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) for litter found on the A12.

“It is important to clarify that Fixed Penalty Notices are issued based on the evidence available at the time of the offence.

“As with all such cases, we must uphold the integrity of the enforcement process and investigate the claim thoroughly.

Gazette: Mess - a council worker at the scene nears Marks TeyMess - a council worker at the scene nears Marks Tey (Image: Kerry-Anne Ross)

“In this case, the litter contained evidence of Ms. Ross's address, which unfortunately linked her to the discarded items.

“It is an individual’s responsibility to ensure their household waste is disposed of correctly and, when using a contractor, to verify they have a waste carrier's licence.

“Our goal is to keep Colchester clean and enjoyable for everyone. We encourage residents to utilise our recycling and waste disposal services and dispose of all of their waste responsibly.”

Southend Council has declined to comment.