WHAT ever happened to the good old "binmen", the sort who weren't afraid to get their hands dirty?

These days there is no throwing the metal bin on their shoulder, carrying it to the wagon and tipping it. No, they just wheel it and machinery does the rest for them.

On the estate where I live it is even easier because the residents dispose of the rubbish for them - yes, you heard right, the rubbish that they constantly leave on the pavement.

As I live on the "unwelcoming St. Thomas's estate" - as it was described in recent plans to demolish the houses - the binmen are adding to its untidy condition by not doing the job they are paid to do.

What they seemingly fail to recognise is that residents here do not have bins unless they live in a house on the end. I am one of the "fortunate" ones with a bin but do not see why I should have to put up with several bags of rubbish being left outside my house. Would the binman like to live with rubbish surrounding his house because someone can't be bothered to shift it?

Residents on this estate have a bin cupboard for black bags, so why don't they use them? At present, I have eight open black bags outside my house (none of it my rubbish). Bin day is Wednesday next week so how long should we have to put up with this?

Will someone at the council resolve this situation once and for all, or give the binman's job to someone who isn't afraid to work. Maybe if we continue to move it for them, the council will pay us, or give us a free week's rent!

Residents here are not trash so why should we have to live amongst it?

ANGRY RESIDENT,

St. Thomas's estate,

Radcliffe.