A MAN who admitted using a bonfire to dispose of unwanted tyres on a York business park has been fined under the Clean Air Act.

David Russell Thompson, 40, pleading guilty to a charge of emitting dark smoke from an industrial or trade premises, when he appeared before York magistrates.

The bench heard how officers from City of York Council visited Barfield Industrial Estate in Huntington, York, on April 2, after noticing smoke rising into the air.

Anthony Dean, City of York Council’s principal environmental protection officer, said: “An officer from City of York Council was driving in the Huntington area when he observed a dark cloud of smoke.

“At 16.40, another officer arrived at the scene and witnessed a very large bonfire.”

The court heard how officers had seen parts of tyres on the fire and had noticed “oil-like liquid” on the ground close to the blaze.

Mr Dean said two men were cautioned at the scene and they revealed to officers they believed Thompson, who operated from a nearby unit, had put the tyres on the fire.

He was later interviewed under caution, when he admitted he had placed three commercial vehicle tyres on the fire.

Thompson, of Dodsworth Avenue, said: “I had a bit of stuff stored up and there were some tyres which came off my own recovery vehicle which been destroyed in a fire.

Thompson said there was “not a great deal of rubber left on them” and that his regular tyre disposal agent would not take them away.

“I put them on the bonfire,” he said. “I did something which I know now had greater significance then I realised at the time.”

He denied putting any oil in the fire.

He was fined £325 with £300 costs and ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge.