TWENTY-nine illegally dumped skips have been seized in a massive borough-wide swoop on firms who dump the waste containers on roads without official approval.

The abandoned skips, condemned as a “serious blight” on neighbourhoods were impounded in a two day crackdown.

Reputable firms need to have a �30 a week council licence to road park a skip, usually used to dump rubble from building developments which is then carted away.

But some fly-by-night firms have been ignoring the law and leaving the un-sightly bin on the streets.

Skips firms can face fixed penalty notices of �150 or prosecution for breaching the Highways Act or councils conditions.

Newham estimate it loses around �70,000 a year in revenue from such illegal practices - and it costs �230 to remove each of them though owners can lose their skips and meet the full costs.

Cllr Ian Corbett, executive member for infrastructure and environment, said: “Illegal skips are a serious blight. We take great pride in our roads yet these rogue firms view them as a dumping ground.”

Anyone skip renter wishing to check if they have a valid permission should contact the licensing team on (020) 3373 1463.