Paul Morris said the 10-tonne-lorry and crane is worth about �5,000.

Carmarthenshire Council is claiming to be the first in Wales to use new powers to combat the problem.

The lorry was filmed on CCTV as rubble, black bags and other waste was dumped at a car park in Llanelli.

It was traced to a site but the occupants denied any knowledge of who owned it.

These powers are very welcome - we are not messing about now Paul Morris

Environment officer Paul Morris was granted a warrant by a magistrate to take the lorry, worth about �5,000, but by the time he returned to the site it had gone and was being driven along the M4 motorway.

Police from the Dyfed-Powys and South Wales forces followed it to a service station where the vehicle was seized and impounded.

Councils were given new powers to tackle fly-tipping on April 1 this year as responsibility for enforcement was transferred from the Environment Agency to local government.

Mr Morris said efforts were now being made to trace the vehicle's owner.

The rubbish was dumped in a car park in Llanelli

If they cannot be found the lorry will be sold.

If they are traced then they will be prosecuted with the aim of paying the costs.

"Fly-tippers are now faced with a situation where if there is evidence, and in the case we had the CCTV footage, we can prosecute," he said.

"If they say they have no knowledge of the ownership of the vehicle involved we are able to seize it and then sell it if ownership cannot be traced.