A VEHICLE amnesty is to be launched in an attempt to curb the increasing problem of abandoned cars in Redditch, writes Becky Procter.

The move will give car owners the chance to give up their unwanted vehicles free of charge to Redditch Council with the appropriate paper work.

The town will be blitzed area by area and the initiative forms part of a service shake-up on dealing with abandoned cars.

It is hoped the get-tough campaign will reduce the £50,000 bill Redditch Council and Worcestershire County Council paid out last year to deal with abandoned cars.

The spokesman said if a car was worth more than £500 it would be stickered, taken away after seven days and stored for 21 days before being destroyed.

It costs £30 to take a car away and £3 a day to store it.