AN angry Ainsworth resident has rubbished council bosses for replacing the village's pebble-dashed bins with "eyesores".

Mr Ronald Mollard (63), a former secretary of the Ainsworth Community Association, said: "The bins cost around £120 each when the Association purchased them in the late 1980s to enhance the Ainsworth Conservation Area. We bought them because the council refused to fund them."

The set of public litter bins were chosen because of their strength and aesthetic quality and have served the area well.

Mr Mollard, of Newquay Avenue, was therefore surprised to see them replaced overnight by "grotesque, green, plastic bins which carry the MBC logo".

"Hardly the thing for a conservation area!" said Mr Mollard who is demanding the return of the bins, suitable replacements, or compensation to the association.

Borough operational services officer Mr Mike Lord admitted he had no idea the bins had been supplied by the association, but stressed there were good reasons for removing them. "The bins were not vandal-proof and the inner lining had been removed so they were unable to hold a plastic bag. It meant it was very dangerous to remove rubbish which often included needles and broken bottles."

He added that the council is aiming to replace all open top bins throughout the borough with new bins that prevent litter blowing out and which have censors to extinguish any fires.

Mr Lord said: "I am sorry that a member of the community feels like this. It was not our intention to upset anyone since the changes were all made with the improvement of the area in mind."

"This design of bin has been used in other areas of local heritage, and we haven't received any complaints."

He said compensation was unlikely because the original bins would have failed a risk test and were therefore a danger to the community.