Couple had to burn rubbish after bins uncollected

A couple who resorted to storing rubbish and burning it after their bins were left uncollected for seven weeks have finally had their waste removed.

Lucy Wells, who is pregnant, said she was forced to set up a makeshift recycling system at her home in Marden, Kent.

“We ended up stockpiling during the summer when there were flies and maggots,” Ms Wells sad.

Maidstone Borough Council had said the property was only accessible via a private road which was unsuitable for domestic refuse collection vehicles. The bins were finally emptied on Tuesday.

Household rubbish bins in the district are meant to be collected every Monday.

But Ms Wells said her general waste and garden bins remained uncollected since the end of July.

She and her partner, Steve Clifford, ended up stockpiling rubbish in their barn and burning it.

She said it was an "unsanitary place" to live in and raise a family.

“When you’re pregnant, you’re neurotic and want everything to be clean,” she said.

“We don’t pay this extortionate amount of council tax for this basic service not to be carried out.”

Mr Clifford said he had to keep the stockpiles away from their animals to avoid more mess.

The council said it was aware of the recurring issue at the property, but its vehicles did not have the same off-road capability of farming equipment.

“For the concern of the safety of the crew and the dustcarts, the decision has previously been taken by the operatives to not use this road,” a spokesman said.

“As this is a private road, it is the landowner’s responsibility to ensure that it is safe for those they allow onto their land.”

The authority said the contractor’s supervisor was to visit the premises to access the situation.

Mr Clifford said: “We shouldn’t have to ring up our local broadcaster to get our rubbish collected.”

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