A COMPANY has been ordered to pay almost £20,000 for discharging fuel oil into a lake.

J&M Brown (Coaches) Limited admitted to causing a discharge of diesel fuel oil into surface water drains which led to Brooklands Lake in Western Road, Lancing.

The Croydon-based company was fined £9,000 and will have to pay £10,668 in court costs.

The offence happened on May 28, 2019.

Brighton Magistrates’ Court also ruled the company will pay £170 towards victims' services.

The defendant's guilty plea was taken into account when imposing the sentence.

The company also admitted a charge of storing diesel fuel oil in a secondary containment system which did not satisfy the requirements of oil storage regulations. No separate penalty was given.