THE wheelie-bin juggernaut rumbles on, with councillors in Hyndburn being urged to 'catch up' with neighbouring Blackburn with Darwen and Rossendale and issue 'wheelies' to residents.

The lure, evidently charming council officials pushing for the change is the £74,000-a-year saving through not having to provide bin bags. Fine -- and there'd be none of the mess in the streets caused by bags being ripped. But does no-one ever consider the wheelie-bins' drawbacks?

What of householders having to do half the binmen's job, humping the bins about themselves in all weathers? And what about those jumbo bins encouraging the disposal of ever-more refuse? Hardly environmentally-friendly, is it?

A decision is on hold, but before they fall for the savings on bin-bags and mess, why dare not councillors consider going all the way back to old-style refuse collection -- in traditionally-sized bins with no bags; emptied and returned by the dustmen, as of old? It's a system that worked without hitch or hassle for decades.