RESIDENTS in West Swindon would welcome wheelie bins but they say they would want them collected every week.

Swindon Council is to pilot a wheelie bin scheme for 10,000 homes.

The bins, which will hold about four bags of rubbish, will be collected every two weeks.

But recycling boxes for paper, cans and bottles will be collected each week.

The council has not yet decided where exactly the trial will take place but in Eastleaze residents in Frampton Close, were keen to see wheelie bins introduced.

However, they were worried a fortnightly collection would not be enough.

Resident Cath Brasier, 53, said the bins should be collected every week.

"You are going to get smelly stuff in your wheelie bins," she said.

"But the bins are a good idea. I put my bags out on a Tuesday night and invariably the cats have got at them by the morning."

Mrs Brasier, a nursing auxiliary, already uses her recycling box for papers but takes empty bottles to a bottle bank.

She said that the recycling collections would be good for people without cars.

Nicola Maddison, 48, said: "I think wheelie bins are a good idea because we have problems with cats opening up the bags.

"But it sounds very complicated collections should be every week for both, otherwise people will get confused."

Mark Harper, 24, was also concerned about the frequency of the collections.

"I used to live in Bristol and they have wheelie bins there and collect them every week," he said.

The homes taking part in the pilot will be finalised in the next couple of weeks and residents will receive a letter and leaflet about the scheme in March.

Swindon Council spokeswoman Sarah Deacon said: "The scheme will encourage Swindon residents to continue the good work they are doing in recycling their waste.

"The council has researched the best councils for recycling in England.

"Lichfield District Council is the highest performing recycling council with a recycling rate of 46 per cent."

Swindon's recycling rate is currently 22 per cent.

"With easy to use recycling services, which are collected every week, and the extra capacity a bin holds, the council hopes a fortnightly collection of the wheelie bin will be enough.

Isabel Field