STAFF and security guards at civic amenity sites in Greater Manchester are becoming increasing targets for abuse from the public.

More than 50 attacks have occurred on employees of GM Waste Ltd in the last 18 months, a meeting of the county's waste disposal authority was told.

Reasons behind the verbal and physical attacks included: anger from individuals when approached by staff as they rummaged through waste; staff refusal to allow people to dump trade waste; frustration from people queueing to leave waste; people unable to get to the site because of the vehicle height barriers.

Councillor Neil Swannick said: "The authority is committed to working with GM Waste Ltd to make sure that everything possible is done to protect employees, including making sure that all the attacks are reported immediately to the police."