KENNET householders who normally have their rubbish collected on Thursday or Friday are furious that the district council is not picking it up until after New Year.

Despite efforts by the district council to publicise the Christmas refuse collection arrangements through parish councils, parish magazines and the district council's own newsletter, the decision not to pick up the garbage for two weeks caught many council tax payers by surprise.

Householders, who last had their refuse collected on December 18 and 19, put out their black plastic bags on Boxing Day and December 27, but the rubbish has lain there ever since, causing concerns over health and safety among residents.

One Broad Hinton resident who rang the Gazette said: "It can't be healthy and it looks awful. Our lovely village is covered with rubbish bags. I have never known this before. Normally, if there has been a bank holiday, the rubbish is picked up the following day.

"I rang Kennet but a woman there told me that rubbish is never collected on a Saturday. I know that is not true."

Households which have Thursday and Friday collection days will have to keep rubbish secure until tomorrow and Saturday, January 2 and 3.