A VAN driver claims he was threatened with prison or a fine when he tried to dump household rubbish at Portland’s recycling centre.

Windsurfer Alex Tobutt, of Harbour Point, Wyke Regis, drives a van so he can transport his surfing equipment, but was told he was not allowed to drive on to the Easton Road waste site.

Officials would not allow him to leave his household waste because vans are banned from the Dorset County Council site, and he does not currently hold a residential exemption permit.

When he tried to walk on with his rubbish, Alex, 30, was told he was fly-tipping and could face up to five years in prison or a £20,000 fine.

Mr Tobutt, a part-time lecturer at Weymouth College and part- time windsurfing sales representative, said: “I used to have a permit for my old vehicle but I changed my van and I haven’t got a new one.

“I went to the site this week and it was the same. They asked me if I had a permit and I said I had changed my vehicle.”

Mr Tobutt said he showed staff he had only household waste in the back of his Volkswagen Transporter, but they still refused him entry.

He said: “I thought I would just park outside and walk on to the site. They said I couldn’t do that because it’s fly-tipping. How can it possibly be fly-tipping when I’m doing it at a county tip?

“I pulled up outside anyway and started walking in. They blocked my way and wrote down my registration number.”

Staff told Mr Tobutt he would have to come back with a car – although he doesn’t have one – or walk to the site from home.

Mr Tobutt then attempted to get a new residential exemption permit by driving to the council offices in Dorchester, but was told he could not do it in person and would have to send off for one.

He said: “There’s no way I’ll be able to get rid of my rubbish this week because it will take seven to 10 days to get the permit. With the postal strike on it’s going to take the best part of two weeks.

“The whole thing is ridiculous and there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it. The rules don’t make any sense.”

A Dorset County Council spokesman said: “Owners of vans that are the sole means of transport for household items and are not used for commercial purposes should apply for a residential exemption permit.”