A PENSIONER who used to be an undercover agent has waged war on Blackburn with Darwen Council over its recycling scheme.

Sigrid Green, 83, of Richmond Terrace, Darwen said there was no way she could be expected to use her recycling box for bottles and cans when she was disabled and elderly.

But she said despite making 19 calls to her local council, her recycling box remained in place and she has still been expected to struggle with a heavy box of bottles and cans.

However council officers say they have spoken to Mrs Green and have outlined the different services they offer to elderly and disabled residents.

Sigrid, who worked as a special agent in the Second World War said: "We were all issued with the boxes for empty bottles and cans and in the leaflet that was sent with it, it said the box should be put at the front of our house near the pavement each week for collection.

"How do they expect me to do that? I'm 83 and have arthritis and those boxes can get very heavy when they are filled with bottles and cans.

"I made 17 phone calls over three hours and 20 minutes to the council but still did not get an adequate response. I eventually got through to Stuart Hammond, who is in charge of recycling, after two calls the next day.

"He said I should put the empty box on the pavement and get a few carrier bags and put the bottles in them to carry them to the box bit by bit but I would be struggling to even carry the bags.

"I am assisted with my wheelie bin as they collect it from the back of my house and put it back there for me afterwards.

"There must be something they can do to help elderly people like me with the recycling boxes. It's a ridiculous idea."

Sigrid, who needs a stairlift to get up the stairs in her house, would have to carry the box from her back yard around 40 feet to the pavement outside the front of her terraced house -- through her kitchen, living room, front room and porch.

Peter Hunt, the council's director of direct services, said an officer had explained some options to Mrs Green.

"She has also be informed about our assistance scheme which means that elderly and disabled residents can opt to have their containers picked up from and returned to their doorstep for them if handling them is difficult."

However, Sigrid said the options outlined to her were not suitable because she would still have to carry goods from her back yard.