Residents have branded rubbish collections in Kingston a shambles, after a series of missed collections left mouldy waste strewn over their Hook street.

Neighbourhood watch co-ordinator Pat Hallsworth, from Gladstone Road, said she had repeatedly complained to the council after weekly collections to pick up black sacks from flats in the street failed to materialise.

She said the error has resulted in animals tearing open the bags and rotting waste and soiled nappies being strewn across the street.

“It’s been one bother after another,” she said. “I am sick of coming home on Tuesday evenings to find the street in such a mess. Everyone is fed up with it.”

Kingston Council introduced a new system of weekly recycling and fortnightly landfill collections in September, but flats are excluded and still have a weekly rubbish collection.

Ward councillor Vicki Harris has taken up the fight and called the actions of the confused contractors “unacceptable”.

She said: “One week is bad enough but the contractors cannot seem to get it into their heads there is rubbish in the street which must be collected on a weekly basis.”

Kingston Council said after being alerted by the Surrey Comet they had cleared the rubbish and offered their apologies to the residents for the missed collections.

A spokesman said: “The council is currently planning a new recycling and landfill waste collection service for flats which will introduce new systems designed specifically for households above shops.

“This will provide a long-term solution to these sorts of problems.”

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