HOUSEHOLDS were forced to wait a week before dozens of dumped bin bags were cleared so they could access their cars.

Around one hundred bin bags appeared outside a row of garages off Middleton Avenue in Chingford last week, but it is claimed calls to the council in an attempt to get help were not returned.

However, following an enquiry from the Guardian the bags were removed on Tuesday.

Richard Forrester, 65, of Middleton Avenue, said: "It's excellent news but we shouldn't have to contact the paper to get something moved.

"The fact is it was blocking people's access to their cars and it was really urgent - if the council had phoned us back they would have known that.

"The bin bags made the area look very untidy, it was an eyesore. We don't own the land but the council could have told us who to contact if they'd only returned our calls."

Mr Forrester said he contacted the council on Wednesday morning, September 12, when he discovered the mess.

He said he was told his call would be responded to within 48 hours, yet he received no reply.

He then called again on Friday and was told the council would 'escalate' the problem and get back to him within another two days, but he still had no response.

A council spokesman said: "This is private land but because of the extent of the problem we decided to go out to it. We did actually have officers who went out to have a look at it on Friday as well.

"We're trying to find out who actually was responsible for flytipping the bags, it's obviously a concern we want to deal with."

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