Bags of rubbish are being dumped next to overflowing communal bins just days after the controversial trial waste scheme began.

Small piles of black bin bags have infuriated people opposed to the pilot project, which has been introduced to 30 streets in Brighton and Hove.

They had warned the scheme could encourage fly-tipping.

The communal bins project, launched by Brighton and Hove City Council last week, is supposed to make streets cleaner and collections easier and more efficient.

Early yesterday five bags were dumped next to one of the communal containers on the corner of Buckingham Road and Albert Road, Brighton.

Another bin in Albert Road was filled with broken furniture and road traffic signs at the weekend.

In Goldsmid Road, Hove, bags of rubbish were dumped 10ft away from an overflowing bin.

There were also complaints about high winds making the lids rise and crash down during the night, disturbing people living nearby.

Other bins were left unemptied after a collection truck broke down yesterday.

Media company director Tony Davies, 27, of Vernon Terrace, Brighton, is spearheading the Say No To Bins campaign.

He said: "After only a few days it is clear communal bins do not work.

"People are fly-tipping, rubbish is rotting in the bottom as only the top few bags are being collected and lids are opening and crashing down in the wind.

"They had small vehicles going round collecting the bags from the top of the bins on Monday and a manager from Cityclean pushed down the bags so the bins would shut."

Another resident, photographer Steve Smith, 45, of Buckingham Road, said: "The scheme has already descended into farce.

"We were told there would be daily checks on the bins but the one outside my flat has not been emptied for five days.

"It filled up over the weekend and people were dumping bags next to it yesterday.

"It will only be a matter of time before seagulls are having a go. When I phoned to complain about the non-collection yesterday I was given two different reasons as to why the bins had not been collected - that they were behind on the rounds and that there had been a mechanical failure."

However, Joanna Weston Tribe, 32, of Farm Road, Hove, said: "The scheme has been a success in my road.

"For the first time since I have lived here there have been no piles of black bags blocking the pavement and no rubbish strewn down the road. It is a great improvement."

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokeswoman said: "We have mended the broken-down vehicle and it was back on duty last night.

"We've been emptying the bins since Saturday and as far as we're concerned there isn't a problem.

"We've had crews regularly patrolling the bins to ensure there is no overflow or fly-tipping and have responded to complaints within the hour.

"We expected the bins to be full yesterday. As it was the first day of the trial we assume residents had an extra clean-up of household rubbish.

"It really is no cause for concern."

The Say No To Bins campaign has a web site at www.brightonbeautiful.com