A COUPLE are furious because the council has failed to pick up their rubbish for almost three weeks.

Gary and Monica Farrant said refuse collectors have not picked up bins in their street in the last two weeks.

The couple, who live in Cowley Drive, Woodingdean, said binmen normally come every Friday afternoon.

When The Argus visited the property yesterday, the rubbish was overflowing out of the bin and the couple had no choice but to leave their other bags of rubbish beside the bin.

They said seagulls have been ripping through the bags, leaving rubbish lying everywhere.

They said this is the fifth time refuse collectors have missed their collection.

Mr Farrant, 46, said: “We have six people living in our house, my wife, myself and our four children.

“The council has missed collecting our bins on Friday May 18 and again on May 25.

“We went on the Brighton and Hove City Council website to check if there were any updates or any information on why the bin collection has been delayed.

“Unfortunately there was nothing. We’ve tried contacting the council but we couldn’t reach the right person, and you can only fill out a form to notify them.

“It’s Bank Holiday now so no-one is working.

“I came home last Friday and it really stank.

“Now that the weather is getting warmer we’re worried about germs.

“This is the fifth time they’ve missed the collections. Once it was because of the snow.

“Residents in Woodingdean Community Group Facebook page have said their bins haven’t been picked up yet either.

“I can understand one or two days of missing collections but more than two weeks isn’t good enough.”

Mrs Farrant, 45, said: “I’ve had to come out to re-bag the rubbish because the seagulls have been tearing them apart.

“There’s just nowhere else to leave the rubbish and it just keeps piling up now. I’m very worried about germs and the smell.

“Our recycling has been collected but we’ve just been waiting for the bin to be collected.

“I can accept missing out on one week but two weeks isn’t good enough.

“We pay a a lot of council tax and we should be getting the service we’re entitled to.

“We have six people in the house and we have asked for a larger bin but the council hasn’t responded yet.

“We’ve lived here for two and a half years and in the last six months the service has really gone down hill.”

The council was not available for comment.