A LITTER lout has caused outrage in Middlewich after tipping rubbish around a memorial garden.

Janet Chisholm, founder of Middlewich Clean Team, was horrified when she saw a man take handfuls of litter from a carrier bag and dumped them behind the bench at Katy’s Wall.

The award-winning memorial site in Lewin Street was created in memory of Clean Team member Katy Lee, who was killed in a car crash in Germany.

When Janet confronted him, the culprit said he had ‘issues with the country’ and swore at her.

She said: “He was doing it very furtively at first, looking around him before throwing litter behind Katy’s bench.

“I couldn’t believe it. I told him I was going to report him but he said he didn’t care and swore at me.

“The Clean Team has been pretty upset about it but we’re not going to let it us dishearten us.

“Whatever he’s trying to achieve he won’t succeed because we’re going to continue to keep our town clean and tidy.”

Janet, of Brooks Lane, reported the issue to Cheshire East’s community warden.

She also told the Guardian that another member of Clean Team saw someone doing the same thing earlier in the month.

“This is totally unacceptable behaviour in the society in which we live,” said Clr Rod Menlove, cabinet member for the environment.

“Cheshire East Council adopts a zero tolerance approach towards this type of anti-social behaviour and continues to do its utmost to stamp it out.

“If someone is prepared to give us a statement with date, time, location, name and address of offender, we would issue them with a fixed penalty notice.

“If a fixed penalty notice is not paid then we will bring court action against offenders.

“Please phone us if you observe this type of anti-social behaviour, you can do so anonymously.”

To report litter louts, call Cheshire East on 0300 123 5011.