Fury as street's bins are missed

Piles of rubbish were today still piling up in one Black Country street, after a binmen dispute caused bags of waste to build up over three weeks.

Angry residents in Jenny Close, Tipton, have not had their waste collected because disgruntled binmen in Sandwell have started working to rule in a row over pay.

The Express & Star reported yesterday that neighbouring Julie Croft had not had a collection in two weeks. But private contractors finally cleared the street of piles of rubbish last night.

Sandwell Council binmen have refused to work over their contracted hours due to the pay dispute.

Council bosses said collections at around 200 homes were being missed each day as a result and that private contractors brought in to clear the mess were costing taxpayers £11,500-a-week.

Kevin Love, aged 48, has lived in Jenny Close for 20 years said today: "We are all absolutely disgusted with what's going on."