Motorist slips up over banana skin

John Campbell was fined £50 for throwing fruit out of a car window

A man who threw a banana skin out of his car window has been fined £50 after he was spotted by a council officer following in the car behind.

John Campbell, from Bearsted near Maidstone, was sent a fixed penalty notice after he was seen by one of Tonbridge and Malling Council's environmental health team.

The wholesale butcher, 51, said he thought the whole thing was "a joke", especially as the banana skin was bio-degradable.

"I cannot understand why the guy seemed to want to go so hard and fast to nail me for that particular thing," Mr Campbell said.

However, he added that he would not be doing it again.

Tonbridge and Malling Council has launched a Cleaner Borough Campaign and has a zero tolerance to any form of litter.

Philip Beddoes, Chief Environmental Health Officer, said the law does not distinguish between types of litter.

"I do not think our residents would like loads of banana skins in the middle of their roads or on their footpaths as much as anything else," he said.