Councils are warning residents against gardening and spring cleaning their homes during this weekend’s warm weather, amid concerns about waste build-up during the coronavirus crisis.

The District Councils Network (DCN) issued a “plea” to people to think carefully about creating excess rubbish, warning that they may end up having to store it themselves.

Collection services are dealing with the “perfect storm” as people turn to gardening and DIY in lockdown, with stockpilers producing more food waste.

Refuse sites have closed to the public, while coronavirus is having an “impact” on the workforce with many binmen self-isolating.

DCN spokesman David MIlls said: “We’re asking people to do their bit and just realise that your binmen are not necessarily going to be able to do their normal job.

“We're asking residents to just be aware that they might need to store their waste, until a time when it can be disposed of.

“Now is probably not a good time for you to do a mass clear out and put it on the end of your drive.”

With temperatures set to hit highs of 20C in some parts of the country, there is a particular concern that many Britons will be keen to work on their gardens this weekend.

The DCN, which represents 191 district councils in England, urged those who do so to try and compost any garden waste at home.

More than a third of English councils have already suspended collections of garden waste, with 125 local authorities temporarily halting the service for the summer months.

Councils suspending their paid for garden waste collection, which is not a statutory service, include more than 70 authorities.

A small number of councils who have suspended their food waste bin collection and are telling households to instead put kitchen scraps in the rubbish bin.

Garden waste collections have been suspended in cities such as Leeds, Bristol and Plymouth; across counties including Dorset and in seven London boroughs.

Some councils have also suspended bulky waste collections, while others have told residents they are having to suspend recycling collections such as paper or glass as they prioritise picking up black bin refuse.

David Renard, environment spokesman for the Local Government Association, said: "As coronavirus impacts on the safety of their workforce handling waste, some councils have had to temporarily suspend or reduce the frequency of some kerbside collections.

"This is helping to free up staff to keep other vital waste services running.

"Councils are seeing an increase in household waste, which may be due to people spending more time gardening and mowing their lawn as they follow the guidance to stay at home."

The Royal Horticultural Society has warned people to wait until September to prune gardens and make a wormery with food waste.

It is also suggesting householders mow their lawn more frequently, with shorter clippings allowed to fall back and disappear into the grass, or collect them and use them as mulch around trees and shrubs.

Meanwhile, those keen to make home improvements while in lockdown have been warned against putting additional pressure on the NHS.

Dangerous DIY could result in injury and take up healthcare resources at a time of national crisis, surgeons have warned. David Warwick, president of the British Society for Surgery of the Hand, urged people to take extra care to avoid injuries that could place unnecessary pressure on the NHS.

He said: “There will be limited NHS resources to treat unexpected injuries during this pandemic, so by all playing our part, we can ensure that front-line health professionals can focus on giving urgent care where it is most needed.”

Fly-tipping is also on the rise, as recycling centres close to the public.

West Oxfordshire District Council said the amount of waste dumped in this manner has gone up “three fold” since the coronavirus crisis began.

Councillor Norman Ray warned residents that the “law has not changed” and insisted “anyone caught fly-tipping will face prosecution and a large fine”.