Pensioner told by refuse collectors to lift her own bin

11:48pm Monday 17th December 2007

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A 6st pensioner has been told her rubbish won't be collected - because health and safety rules prevent her burly binmen from lifting her bin over a 4in step.

Priscilla Thomas, 76, who is just 5ft, is expected to put the wheelie bin out herself - but fears she is so frail she will lose control of it.

She said her rubbish had only been occasionally collected since September and was left to pile up outside her home in Elizabeth Avenue, Hove.

She said: "It's bureaucracy gone out of control."

The problem got so bad that Mrs Thomas has resorted to taking the bags to the tip herself in the back of her car.

When she confronted the bin men to ask why her rubbish was not being removed, she was astounded to hear that the tiny step was deemed a health and safety hazard and they were not allowed to pull the bin down it.

Incensed that the refuse collectors were not deemed fit enough to lift the bin even though she was, Mrs Thomas registered for Brighton and Hove City Council's assisted collection service in the hope it would solve the problem.

But her bins are still not being taken, despite numerous calls to the council's refuse department.

She said: "I live on a hill and if I try to roll the bin out into the street for them to collect, it might overbalance and spill rubbish everywhere.

"Also, leaving it on the pavement creates an obstacle for pedestrians, especially those with pushchairs and wheelchairs and for blind people.

"I rang the council's refuse department again and again. They sympathised with me but still nothing was done.

"Last Tuesday, despite me leaving the bin right in front of my gate which I left open, the bins were not collected again.

"What more can I do?"

Mrs Thomas said the situation has left her feeling as if she is banging her head against a brick wall.

She said: "My neighbour has the same type of step and his bin gets collected, so why doesn't mine?"

A council spokeswoman said: "We apologise for the problems that have unfortunately occurred with Mrs Thomas' refuse collection and the inconvenience this has caused her."

A council manager visited Mrs Thomas yesterday (Mon) and assured her the problem would be repeated.

Jim Baker, director of Age Concern, Brighton, Hove and Portslade, said: "Clearly we are concerned if people are suffering from mobility problems and can't complete physical tasks themselves and therefore need more help from the council but that is not being delivered.

"We would want to help those people ask that they call our information service so that we can speak to the council or whoever the problem is with on their behalf.

"I am pleased if this is being resolved by the council but if it happens again or if it happens to anyone else, they should call us."

Mr Baker said Age Concern had not received any complaints about bin collections in his area.

Free help and advice on a range of issues is available to the elderly by calling Age Concern on 0800 00 99 66.