A family's rubbish has been left uncollected for months – because refuse workers do not want to hurt their backs picking their bin up.

Alan Parsons has lived in a middle terraced house in Harebell Drive, Portslade, for the past 15 years.

However for the past 12 months he said Brighton and Hove City Council regularly does not empty the family’s bin as it involves moving the container up or down some steps.

After being forced to pack their weekly waste into his van to take it to the tip again, Mr Parsons said he is thinking about taking more direct action.

Mr Parsons, 46, said: “I just don’t know what to do. It’s got too much.

‘Not getting service’

“Next time they come I’m thinking about blocking the road so they can’t get out until they have emptied the bin.

“I’ve thought about taking it down to the town hall. I don’t mind getting arrested.

“I pay my council tax and we just don’t get the service we pay for.”

The local authority has told him he could leave his bin at the bottom of the slope.

But Mr Parsons said the only suitable place was outside his neighbour’s house which was open to the winds and got blown over, strewing waste across the area.

He added: “The other option is the car park but I don’t fancy losing my parking space for it.”

Communal bin

Ward councillor Bob Carden said: “It’s an awkward area. I think there should be a communal bin.”

A council spokesman said: “We have made it clear to the householder he can leave his wheelie bin at the bottom of his steps permanently, and put his household refuse bags in there when he needs to.

“The householder in question has a large wheelie bin and sometimes it’s very heavy. We don’t want him to have to lift it down any steps and we do not want our refuse crews to either.

“We have also offered to give him extra advice on recycling as we believe this could help.”

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