Dodgy street traders who sell fake DVDs out of plastic bags and cheap children's toys made of small flashing lights and coat hangers will from September get hit with fines of up to £250.

Ealing Council is to use new powers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices to clamp down on illegal sellers who work on the borough's high streets unlicensed.

The move will also help the Council’s Envirocrime Prevention Team deal more swiftly with persistent, long-term offenders such as shopkeepers who block footpaths with their goods.

Head of Envirocrime Prevention, Susan Parsonage, said: "We are going to start using these powers because they are a quicker and less costly route than going through the courts."

"And the impact will be virtually immediate. However, we will still aim for court action on the bigger cases.