The 'zero tolerance' approach follows a poster campaign

Each was issued with an immediate �50 penalty, as part of a 'zero tolerance' campaign which began on 21 June.

Most of the offenders were caught discarding cigarettes, but some had dropped other rubbish, like drink cans.

Council Leader Mark Hawthorne said: "Our streets are not one giant ashtray and we are determined to make sure that our new get-tough message hits home."

The tough new approach follows a poster campaign and an "educational enforcement" policy, where offenders were given the chance to retrieving their litter and put it in a bin.

Income from the litter fines will be reinvested in street-care measures, possibly funding the use of "head cameras" for city rangers, to help them gather evidence when dealing with troublemakers.