Hundreds of illegal flyposters advertising furniture have gone up across the Spen Valley over Christmas.

And Kirklees Highways said it is costing ratepayers to remove them from lampposts and traffic light columns.

According to a council spokesman, the posters went up on Christmas Day across the Spen Valley, Batley, Dewsbury and Morley.

Highways officer Geoff Thorp said more than 230 posters had already been taken down and he estimated about 400 had been put up.

"We have prosecuted this company before and it went bankrupt so we never got paid," he said. "But it has resurfaced under a different name.

"We are talking to our legal department about the possibility of prosecution.

"We are having to take down every poster that has been put up illegally by anyone, not just these latest ones. A lot of money has been put into this - they are well-made and well attached - but it is against the law."

Peter Ward, press officer for the Spen and Batley Constituency Labour party, said some of the posters had been fixed to traffic lights causing an additional hazard.