Late bin collection in Thornton Heath is attracting foxes and flies, say fed-up residents.

For the past eight weeks the round covering Norman Road, Penshurst Road, Torridge Road and Lakehall Road has been irregularly collected - usually a day late.

Residents say bins have been ripped open in the delay and rotting rubbish has been strewn in the street.

The round is due to be collected on a Wednesday morning but recently residents have left their rubbish sacks out on Tuesday night only for them to be collected on Thursday morning - 36 hours later.

Mrs Brown of Norman Road said: "Potato chippings, yogurt cartons and chicken remains are left. We have seen maggots crawling and foxes appearing in the area.

"We pay so much council tax and don't get such a good service. We can't have a wheelie bin and the black sacks are easy to open."

Norman Road was collected on time last week after the Guardian followed up Mrs Brown's complaints.

Assistant director of environmental management, Jim Brennan, said the problem was because these roads fell at the end of the round and were vulnerable to any earlier problems.

He said: "It may be that the practical solution is to move the collection by one day.

"We intend to get it right."

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