Two city centre businesses have become the first in Oxford to be fined for littering.

Top Shop in Queen Street and Colours Sports Bar in St Ebbe's Street were given £100 fixed penalty fines for persistently failing to manage trade waste.

The city council fines are the latest "get tough" approach move to clean the city's streets.

Both shops were repeatedly warned by environmental enforcement officers about leaving trade waste outside their premises.

Top Shop was told to stop blocking the pavement in Queen Street by leaving bins out all day.

Colours Sports Bar was told to stop excess waste spilling out of its bins.

City councillor Jean Fooks, executive member for a cleaner city, said: "We are determined to make Oxford a cleaner city and improve the streets.

"We hope that with a combination of education and enforcement we will achieve our goal. However, if businesses fail to manage their trade waste we will take action."

Environmental enforcement officers have the power to issue legal notices requiring businesses to manage their waste.

Failure to pay fixed penalty fines can result in prosecution and fines of up to £1,000.

The revelation came as homeowners across the city discovered yesterday they had three chances to throw out extra bags of rubbish with their wheelie bins before facing a fine.

The city council is operating a "three strikes and you're out" approachs - and anyone found breaking the rules after being given a third warning faces a £75 fine.

Meanwhile, the council has started a pilot scheme running from 6.30-8.30pm offering trade waste customers the opportunity to recycle their paper and cardboard at a reduced rate.