Richmond Council has cancelled a £150 fine issued to a Kew woman after she poured the remnants of her coffee into a roadside drain near Richmond Station, following a BBC News report.

Resident Burcu Yesilyurt said she believed she was doing the right thing by emptying a small amount of coffee from her reusable cup into a gully, rather than risk spilling it on the bus she was about to catch to work.

Moments later, she was stopped by three enforcement officers and fined under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which prohibits depositing or disposing of waste in a way that could pollute land or water.

Speaking to BBC News, Ms Yesilyurt described being "quite shocked" by the experience.

"As soon as I turned around, I noticed three men, enforcement officers, chasing me, and they stopped me immediately," she said.

"It was quite a shock… I thought I was acting responsibly. It feels quite unfair, the fine is extreme and not proportionate."

She added that she had asked the officers if there were any signs warning people not to pour liquids into drains, but said she received no reply.

Richmond Council has since reviewed body-worn camera footage and said officers acted appropriately.

However, the local authority confirmed that, after further consideration, the Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) had been cancelled, acknowledging that it was a minor offence and that Ms Yesilyurt had agreed not to repeat it.

An email from the council, seen by the BBC, read: "On review, the Fixed Penalty Notice has been cancelled. Please accept my apologies for any upset or inconvenience this has caused you."

A spokesperson for Richmond Council said: "It is likely that, had this case progressed through the appeal route, the notice would have been rescinded because it is a minor contravention which the recipient agreed not to repeat."

Ms Yesilyurt told the BBC she was pleased the council had reconsidered its position, saying: "I'm quite happy the council recognised the sensitivity of this situation and they've reconsidered."

She added that she hoped the incident would prompt clearer public guidance, such as signage near bins and bus stops, to help residents understand the law.

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