A DISABLED pensioner has been left with over-flowing bins — after council workers failed to empty them for five weeks.

Mavis Reece, from Shadsworth Road in Blackburn, is unable to put her own bins out and usually sees the bin men collect and empty them from her back garden from her window.

But the 75-year-old contacted the Lancashire Telegraph after they suddenly stopped doing so, causing rotting refuse to pile up.

The widow said: “One of the bins has bags piled up right on top, and it won’t close.

“I have called the council I don’t know how many times.

“I don’t know why they haven’t emptied them.

“It’s been five weeks. They haven’t given me any reason.

“They just say they will be round.

“I’m very careful with what I put in the bin, and I put everything in bags. But it will start smelling.”

Mrs Reece moved to Lancashire in the 1980s with her late husband Robert for work.

She has no other family in the county and no next door neighbours to help her, she said.

The council recently launched a review of the help it offers some residents who need extra help, a spokeswoman said, which may have led to some confusion.

But Mrs Reece denied being contacted or receiving a letter from the council.

She said: “I don’t ask for much, just for my bins to be emptied.”

Executive member for environment at Blackburn with Darwen Council, Coun Jim Smith, said: “We were not aware that there had been an issue with the lady’s collection but we have arranged for the bin to be emptied.

“We will also visit her to ensure that there are no further problems and we apologise for the inconvenience she has suffered.”