HOW the times of refuse collection have changed.

Today, we have containers on wheels which should be placed in a convenient position for collection by council staff, taken to the vehicle and returned to their starting point.

The containers should have their lids open only slightly in order to conform with current regulations and the collection teams have to move round the area with all possible speed -- most likely under directives from financial advisers at some stage.

Not an easy job, most folks would agree.

Consider yesteryear -- refuse collectors (bin men) would come down the backs, more than likely use a piece of bent metal to ease the bar on your back yard door to gain entry, take out your bin (metal with lid and two handles), often containing warm and sometimes hot ash. The weather being hail, rain, blow or snow -- and sometimes fine.

The bins were emptied manually; tipped in the back of the collection vehicle and returned to the back yards whence they came.

But having lived most of my life in Blackburn, I can't remember many complaints from staff about bins or working conditions.

In those days, time and cost effectiveness was not a major consideration.

A KAY, West View, Tockholes.