Fly-tippers may be forced to clear up the mess they have created under tough new Government measures.

And car owners could be fined if someone else throws rubbish from their vehicles.

Litter louts could be hit with £150 fines as part of ambitious new plans to tackle rubbish in England.

Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom unveiled the Government's first Litter Strategy for England to reduce the near £800m burden to the taxpayer of clean-up costs.

The new motoring rules, which are already in force in London, make owners liable even if they didn't throw the litter themselves.

Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom said: "Litter is something that affects us all - blighting our countryside, harming our wildlife, polluting our seas, spoiling our towns, and giving visitors a poor impression of our country.

"Our litter strategy will tackle this antisocial behaviour by building an anti-litter culture; making it easier for people to dispose of rubbish; and hitting litter louts in the pocket.

"We want to be the first generation to leave our environment in a better state than we found it, and tackling litter is an important part of our drive to make the country a better place to live and visit.

Further new measures drawn up by environment, transport and communities departments include:

• Issuing new guidance for councils to be able to update the nation's 'binfrastructure' through creative new designs and better distribution of public litter bins, making it easier for people to discard rubbish.

• Stopping councils from charging householders for disposal of DIY household waste at civic amenity sites (rubbish dumps) - legally, household waste is supposed to be free to dispose of at such sites.

• Recommending that offenders on community sentences, including people caught fly-tipping, help councils clear up litter and fly-tipped waste.

• Working with Highways England to target the 25 worst litter hotspots across our road network to deliver long-lasting improvements to cleanliness.

• Creating a 'green generation' by educating children to lead the fight against litter through an increased number of Eco-Schools and boosting participation in national clean-up days.

• Creating a new expert group to look at further ways of cutting the worst kinds of litter, including plastic bottles and drinks containers, cigarette ends and fast food packaging.

Communities Minister Marcus Jones said: "It's time we consigned litter louts and fly-tippers to the scrap heap of history. Through our first ever National Litter Strategy we plan to do exactly that.

"Our plans include targeting the worst litter hotspots, cracking down on litter louts with increased fines and getting people to bin their rubbish properly."