THIRTY-three people are having to share just ONE bin at a Christchurch block of flats - because their refuse service says there isn’t any room for any more.

Resident Fleur Lightbown Smith said she was now contacting Dorset Council ‘every other week’ because of the situation at Benjamin Court in Barrack Road.

She said the situation has lead to soiled nappies and sanitary items spilling into an area where children like to play, plus a ‘line of maggots’ stretching 15 foot from the bin area to the road.

“Basically we have one domestic waste bin and three recycling bins for 33 people,” said mother-of-two, Fleur. “The bin has to hold the waste of all these people, plus their visitors when they have them, and we also get people walking off the street to dump stuff there. It’s great that they don’t litter but it’s not great for us.”

She said the situation was always: “Fine for a few days after collection but after that it’s disgusting, with broken black bags spilling everywhere.”

Fleur says she and her neighbours have spotted rats, mice, seagulls and even a ‘whole line of maggots’ in the summer, stretching from the full-up bin to the road.

“When we viewed this flat in December they said the amount of rubbish we could see at the bins then was because someone had moved out,” she said. “Now it’s always the same; it smells and I’ve got flies in my house because of it.”

She said she had ‘repeatedly’ asked for another bin. “I think that one more big bin would do it - most of the refuse left on top would probably fit inside another bin.”

She claimed that because the bin gets over-full, a separate council team is sometimes called upon to remove it. “It must cost them even more money and time than just giving us an extra bin,” she said.

Mike Moon, Head of Waste Operations at the Dorset Waste Partnership, said: “We are fully aware of the problems with waste at Benjamin Court. There isn’t currently enough space for additional bins at the site, leading to issues with bags being left on top or next to bins and rubbish occasionally spilling into the immediate area.

“To resolve the issue, staff at our Christchurch depot are working with the Dorset Waste Partnership’s Recycling Team – who specialise in bin problems at communal residences – and will be in touch with residents and the housing association in due course.”