People warned as rubbish piles up (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

People warned as rubbish piles up

USE your wheelie bin or we'll prosecute.

Rubbish in Ely Close, Toothill Pic ref: 78806-34That's the message Swindon Council is sending to residents in West Swindon who are dumping bin bags on the street.

The area is part of a pilot scheme for wheelie bins. Only rubbish placed inside the bins is removed.

The wheelie bins are collected every two weeks, in addition to a weekly recycling collection.

A council spokesman said: "Anyone who dumps bags of rubbish in the street is fly-tipping, which is an offence.

"We thank the majority of residents who are using their wheelie bins and recycling services correctly.

"We want to assure them that we are investigating a number of these fly-tipping incidents and we will not hesitate to prosecute when we trace offenders."

But the households who refuse to use the wheelie bins are creating a nightmare for other residents.

One resident of Ely Close, in Toothill, who asked not be named, claims the pile has been growing for the past month but the council has done nothing about it.

"It is absolutely disgusting, the stench is unbearable," he said.

"It is becoming a health hazard. We will end up with rats and god knows what running around."

And the problem doesn't stop there.

Ross Warren, who lives in Conisborough, Toothill, sent these photographs to the Adver.

The pictures were all taken in the Toothill and Freshbrook areas, including Bosham Close and Crawford Close.

He said: "We recycle everything we can and are still left with more rubbish than will fit in the bins.

"At the moment, the service just isn't good enough."

Mr Warren, 48, thinks people are just doing the best they can.

"People are just responding to the council not taking away the bin bags, and that means dumping them.

"We haven't personally, but you can understand why people do it."

But he added the scheme could work, if the council took the extra bin bags as well.

"A lot of what is left is food waste, and after two weeks it smells foul.

"We already had a problem with rats, and now you see a more, fatter ones running around the place."

The council said it has already prosecuted one individual for fly-tipping this week and was prepared to act again.

The council spokesman added: "In the meantime, we need to know where bags are piling up so that we can investigate these incidents and take appropriate action."

To report a pile of bin bags contact Swindon Council on 01793 463463.

Stephanie Tye