A CUB and Beaver group in Codford has had its appeal against excessive refuse charges upheld.

The 1st Codford Cubs appealed against the district council's billing policy after the group were told they owed £300 for a rubbish collection they say they barely use and a roll of trade refuse sacks they claim they never received.

But the council classifies the collection from the cubs as trade and sent them the bill last November.

Chairman of the 1st Codford Cub Group, Don Bartlett, said:

"To describe our refuse as commercial, or trade in nature is erroneous and highly overstated."

The bill had been backdated to 1999 and Mr Bartlett was worried the group would struggle to pay it.

Now it has been dropped and Councillor Horace Prickett has picked up the bill for the refuse sacks. But the community is still concerned about the billing policy.

Spokesperson for West Wiltshire District Council, Louise Knox, said: "It is up to groups to prove hardship before the policy can be changed."