Betty Wells and her lid-less bin. Photo: Steve Robards

And now 78-year-old Betty Wells fears she could become a Brexit ‘victim’ - because she’s been told a replacement lid has to come from Germany.

Former magistrate Betty first contacted Horsham Council at Christmas reporting that the lid of her garden waste bin was loose. “The binmen took the lid off and I have been waiting for a new one ever since,” she said.

Betty says she has contacted the council every week over the past three months asking when the new lid would be delivered and has been constantly told ‘next week.’

“I just hope it’s here before March 29” - the date when Britain is scheduled to leave the European Union.

Great-grandmother Betty ‘inherited’ the faulty-lidded bin when she moved to Horsham from Rusper two years ago. “I’ve asked the council if I can have a whole new bin, but they have said no because of the cost.

“There’s a whole stack of bins, blue bins, green bins, the lot, at the amenity tip. I don’t see why I can’t just have one of those,” said Betty.

“I’m infuriated by it. The council don’t even say that as I’ve had all these problems, they’ll make a reduction of the £40 a year cost. No, nothing like that.”

And, to add insult to injury, Betty said that since her bin had remained lid-less, a number of passers by had deposited their rubbish into it - including dog waste.