THE council has told residents not to worry about several mountains of rubbish bags appearing in the district, saying they are "strictly temporary".

Epping Forest District Council said it has been forced to pile up large quantities of waste sacks in areas such as Epping Green as part of the process of clearing its collection backlog.

It comes after widespread cancellations to the authority's rubbish and recycling services due to the heavy snow and ice, leading some homes to go five weeks without collections.

The council said it is now using smaller trucks on roads that are still too slippery for larger dustcarts as it works to catch up with the problem.

Cllr Mary Sartin, the authority's portfolio holder for the environment, said: “Our refuse and recycling collectors have born the brunt of some of the worst weather we have seen in decades.

"Several are now off work due to broken bones and cuts sustained trying to collect refuse and recycling from people's homes.

“Large vehicles have had a particularly difficult time getting up narrow and icy residential roads so we hit on the idea of diverting smaller trucks from street cleaning duties.”

She added: “Residents can be assured they [the mountains of rubbish] are a good sign we are adapting to the conditions and catching up on the collections."