A RODBOURNE resident has criticised the council for failing to empty an overflowing dog poo bin in Mannington Park despite this week's soaring temperatures.

Martin Atcherley, 52, noticed the bin had gone well beyond capacity as he was passing on Friday and phoned Swindon Borough Council helpdesk to let them know.

When he returned to the park on Monday, he was surprised to see that the bin was still overflowing.

Martin, who works as a lorry driver, said: “It’s the third time this year I’ve had to phone the council about it, they said they would let the right person know but nothing has been done.

“It was full on Friday when I reported it but we’ve had the weekend now and it’s still full. I get that they don’t work weekends because there’s no overtime but they could have come on Monday.

“I phoned again on Tuesday and told them about it again, I’m back here on Wednesday and still nothing has been done about it.

“It’s getting beyond a joked now.”

The bin is just across the path from a busy children’s play area, near to the end of Morris Street.

Martin said that the unusually high temperatures had made the area quite unpleasant for the youngsters to be around.

“The children’s play area is right next to it – with this heat what do you think it smells like,” he asked.

“On Monday afternoon there were loads of kids there with flies going around everywhere.

“The local play group brought the children down in the nice weather on Wednesday and it stinks.”

He added: “It’s Mannington Park, even if there isn’t someone dedicated to it there should still be people going round and checking.

“I walk my dog in that park, if there’s no space in the bin you might as well let the dog do its business by the bottom of the bin – it would be the same.

“The rubbish bin is overflowing now too – it’s just not what you expect really.”

A spokesman for Swindon Borough Council said: “This particular bin at Mannington Park is emptied twice a week and on most occasions it isn’t normally full.

“However, with people enjoying the current warm weather we are seeing an increase in the number of drinks cartons and barbecue waste being put in the bins which can fill them quite quickly.

“Unfortunately, we have limited resources so we cannot empty the bins as soon as they are full.

“We will empty this particular bin as quickly as we can but, in the meantime, we would ask people to use one of the other bins on the site or take their waste home with them.”