A 20-strong team from Nottingham City Council is advising shoppers and workers that �50 on-the-spot fines will be issued from 19 June.

If the fines are not paid within 14 days, offenders face prosecution and a court fine of up to �1,000.

The wardens say fines are a good way of changing people's careless attitude to what they do with their rubbish.

We want the public to know just leaving rubbish on the ground is not acceptable Stuart Thornhill, senior street warden

The move is part of the council's 100 Day Clean Up Challenge, which was launched at the end of May.

The system of on-the-spot fines has already been used in Mansfield where several people have been stopped and fined, including the driver of a car.

Senior street warden Stuart Thornhill said: "The main purpose of the fines is as a deterrent.

"It is educating people not to throw their litter on the floor and while there are people who clean the streets we want the public to know just leaving rubbish on the ground is not acceptable."

Wednesday's litter leaflet blitz will be repeated on 12 June and 15 June and in Bulwell on 26 June.

The awareness-raising campaign will then be rolled out to cover all areas within the city.