MANY households across the district have still not had their wheelie-bins collected, over five weeks after they were last taken away.

Collections were missed before Christmas owing to the severe bad weather, but Epping Forest District Council said black wheelie-bins would at last be collected last Friday (January 8).

That deadline has now passed and still some residents are reporting problems.

Sue Gilliat, 65, of Roding Road, Loughton, said: “It's getting on for five weeks since we had our wheelie-bin collected simply because they missed one collection before Christmas. It didn't help that the council offices were closed between Christmas and the new year.

“It's just a very long time. I don't even bother to ask now. The staff at the office haven't a clue.

“The foxes are getting at the sacks they told us we could leave out. I'm particular about recycling and there's no food waste in them, but I think the cat litter might be attracting them.”

Last week the district council temporarily suspended bin collections after some refuse collectors reported injuries in the icy conditions.

Mrs Gilliat said: “There's no snow falling now. They've come to take away the recycling and the street bins, it's just the wheelie-bins.

“I don't see why they can't come down- it's completely safe. I've got a little car and I've managed to get out and about.

“I am not impressed with the council's handling of the matter.”

A spokesman for the district council said: “The Council is aware of the roads that have been missed and is endeavouring to collect as much waste as possible. Where it is safe to do so, we will start to collect from areas that have waited the longest for a collection. However, because of continuing icy conditions it may not be possible to collect from all of these areas.”