An off-road driver has been traced by the police after abandoning their car in a protected site in Somerset.

The driver of a car that illegally damaged a Scheduled Monument in the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has been traced by police.

On November 25, 2021, a four-wheel drive car was found abandoned on the protected site.

It had been driven across sensitive areas of the site - damaging the surface and the rare plants that live in the unusual habitat - before becoming stuck.

The site is a Scheduled Monument because it has been mined for lead and other minerals for 2000 years which has resulted in spoil heaps that provide a unique habitat for rare plants.

Jim Hardcastle, Mendip Hills AONB manager said: "It's reassuring that the police have taken this and other incidents of damage to our national heritage seriously.

"These sites are protected as they represent our collective history and can't be recreated.

"This particular site is also a stronghold for rare plants and animals, at a time when we're facing an ecological emergency these sites become even more precious to us all.

"The message should go out to all people that drive off-road illegally that we take it seriously and will work with the police to prosecute offenders."

Before the car was reclaimed the police had traced the registered owner. They issued a Section 59 warning notice and informed them of the damaging results of their actions.

The warning is given to both the driver and the vehicle.

This means that if either are subsequently stopped then a seizure may take place even if another driver is in the original vehicle, or the original driver in another vehicle.

Bob Croft of South West Heritage Trust said: "The nationally-important Roman and later lead mining remains at Charterhouse on Mendip are exceptionally fragile and can be easily damaged by irresponsible off-roading. The recent damage means that careful repairs to the earthworks will now be necessary."