Car dumpers could go to jail for six months if caught and if the maximum penalty is dished out.

And a change in legislation will mean that selling a car is not always enough to get rid of responsibility for it.

The harsh message was delivered when abandoned vehicle statistics for South Somerset were discussed last week.

During the last financial year, the district council removed 589 dumped vehicles, which is a hefty increase compared to the previous year's 356 vehicles.

Area South is the worst area with more than 200 dumped vehicles being removed, followed by Area West where 150 vehicles were removed.

Areas North and East fared somewhat better, with about 130 and 90 vehicles removed respectively.

Statistics show that 53per cent of vehicles reported as abandoned are either judged not to be abandoned or are re-moved by their owner within the seven-day notice period - with South Somerset District Council having a duty to pick up the remaining 47 per cent.

But the procedure has been changed. A report prepared for members of the council's Area South Committee said: "Local authorities have been empowered to remove vehicles of no value after a notice period of only 24 hours. It is estimated that the effect of this regulation on the year just ended, would have resulted in the removal of over a thousand vehicles. At a cost to the council in the order of £50,000."

In order to cope with a higher demand for the current year, £56,880 have been made available in a budget - which should cover the removal of approximately 1,200 cars, although it is feared that as many as 1,400 cars could be dumped.

It was also reported that another change in legislation would mean the last registered owner of a vehicle would be approached for payment.

It was explained that many removed cars had no registered owner, being lost in the system when a buyer fails to register himself with the DVLA as a vehicle's new owner.

This makes it enormously important for a person selling a car making sure that both forms are sent in together.

Committee members stressed that dumping a car is a serious environmental offence.