I READ with some sympathy of the problems Mr Stephen Bridge has had with Bury's refuse service (September 8).

I watched a TV programme about the refuse crew in Birmingham who seem to work a lot harder than those in Bury.

The people of Birmingham do not appear to have rubbish bins but put all their rubbish in black bags and leave it in the street on collection day. Every bag is collected and if any rubbish spills out, it is cleaned up by the crew. They even took away a washing machine and a car exhaust! Bury's crews will not even take an extra black bag left at the side of the bin.

I like to think I am a considerate person and I always put my bin at the edge of the pavement for emptying. But I have sometimes watched the men when they have emptied the bin and they just give it a good push from the road and hope that it goes in the direction they want it to. Sometimes it falls over and is left there.

I am a pensioner with not very supple joints and I really struggle to get the bin upright. Do the Bury crews not consider the elderly or disabled?

PENSIONER