Rubbish has been left festering, attracting pests at a block of flats in Reading for weeks after a failed bin collection.
Residents of a block of flats in Reading are fed up after rubbish has been piling up for weeks due to a failed bin collection.
Photos from a Newark Street flat show overflowing general waste and recycling bins, with bags of rubbish scattered on the floor.
A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, reported an influx of pests, including rats and flies, drawn to the site. He said: “It’s getting worse. The rubbish on the floor prevents access for bin collectors, and the rats are massive. They don’t even run away from us. It’s gross; we’re also getting fruit flies.”
The resident pointed out that there are nine families living there and described the situation as shocking due to the smell and sight of the rubbish. He added that council staff typically have access to the bin store with a code but claimed a crew that visited after the missed collection did not take any action to clear the waste.
The council explained that they couldn’t collect the rubbish initially because the gate to the bin store was damaged. They plan to send a crew for a special collection to try again. A spokesperson said: “A crew attempted to collect on September 12, but the damaged gates prevented access. We’re sending a crew this evening (September 24) to clear the waste if access is possible.”
Though the rubbish was eventually cleared at around 3.30pm, the resident remains concerned about the rat problem. He said: “They collected the rubbish, but the rat issue persists. There are massive holes in the ground and rat droppings everywhere. It’s very worrying walking around in the dark, especially for little kids.”
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
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