DISABLED Marjory Ashwell has hit out at the council after they refused to collect a dumped mattress which is stopping her from getting out and about.

The 68-year-old, of the town centre, suffers with myalgic encephalomyelitis and has used a mobility scooter to get around on a regular basis for the past four years.

But two weeks ago, she found herself stranded in her house when a mattress was dumped in the alley behind the property, preventing her from going about her normal daily routine.

“I can’t use my scooter out the front of my house because there is a step, but now I can’t go out on my own scooter,” she said.

“I spoke to the council two weeks ago and they said they would have somebody out to remove the mattress within the next two days, but it is still there so I rang the council again and they have now said they can’t remove it because it is on private land.

“There is no way I could possibly move it by myself, I have ME and am lacking in energy.

“Nobody knows who left it there, it would have been in the dead of night.”

Marjory said she has had to pay for taxis or use Dial-A-Ride services in order to go about her daily routine since the item was dumped, despite repeatedly contacting the council asking them to remove it.

“I have had to rely on taxis which is getting expensive, or Dial-A-Ride, which is sometimes inconvenient,” she said.

“I normally use my mobility scooter regularly but now I can’t use it at all, it is terrible.”

Residents living in two Swindon streets have been warned they could face prosecution if they continue to leave bin-bags and other waste in a back alley.

The council is removing large amounts of waste each week from the alley between Albion Street and William Street in Kingshill, despite the area having weekly blue-bag collections for household waste, and weekly recycling collections.

Councillor Keith Williams, Swindon Council cabinet member for Streetscene, said: “There are some people living in these streets who are ruining the local environment for their neighbours, and it’s costing council tax payers money because we’re clearing it up every week.

“It’s not acceptable and we will prosecute the few thoughtless individuals who are responsible if they don’t stop.”

All householders in the streets have been formally notified of how to dispose of their waste legally, and have been warned that action will be taken to discover the identity of whoever is leaving refuse in the alley.