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There has been a slew of complaints about late or missed bin collections under the new contract in Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge.

But one pensioner said the new collections are so bad she was left trapped at home by her wheelie bins.

Mary Wicker said she had things to do yesterday (January 15) morning – she wanted to post a letter, do a bit of shopping.

But when she stepped out of her front door on Queen’s Road, her path was blocked by green bins which put an end to her plans for the day.

(Image: Sally Loram)

Miss Wicker, who is 81, said she has already made an official complaint to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council about new bin contractor Urbaser’s service.

She said since it launched she has had her green bin collected only twice without having to chase it up.

And even when they were actually collected most recently, they were left in a really inappropriate place - right in front of her path, blocking her in.

She told Kent Live although she didn’t look frail, she was frightened of hurting herself if she tried to move them.

'I'll have to stay put'

She said: "I probably could have shoved them out of the way but I have a bad back. It would have been hard with my shopping buggy.

"I wanted to go out but I shall have to stay put.

"I’ll have to wait until a neighbour comes home who can move them."

(Image: Sally Loram)

Talking of her back, she said: "It can hurt in the morning and I have to start off with little tiny steps to sort of get myself moving. It's in my lower back and I think it's just a bit of arthritis. It's worse in the cold weather. I had a hip replacement in 2006. I try to get out each day to keep moving. People think I am capable and I look younger than 81 but of course that's not the case."

Miss Wicker told us she didn't have any problems with the previous contractor and said she was fed up with not having her green bin collected.

She added she had tried to speak to the council's head of service Gary Stevenson but had not managed to get through to him.

She said she was tired of chasing up collections so made an official complaint.

Seeing the bins across her pathway was the final straw for the pensioner.

She said: "They used to be put back before. There wasn't any difficulty.

"I just wanted to let other people know about these rubbish collections."