A BRITISH National Party (BNP) member has been accused of hi-jacking an Ottery recycling road-show as a war of words over refuse changes in the town broke out this week.

A BRITISH National Party (BNP) member has been accused of "hi-jacking" an Ottery recycling road-show as a war of words over refuse changes in the town broke out this week.

William O' Hara, an Ottery County Council candidate, staged a two hour protest at the Hind Street event on Saturday, dubbing himself the "community spokesman" over the issue.

Mr O'Hara is among several disgruntled residents in the town, unhappy with the authority's recycling and refuse changes which will come into affect on June 2. He has launched a petition to oppose the scheme.

However, a spokesman for East Devon District Council (EDDC), who organised the road-show, said the BNP candidate had used the issue, and an event intended to help Ottery residents, as a "political football".

He added the scheme has "worked smoothly" and been "popular" in parts of the region where it has been rolled out already and said: "We are confident that the majority of residents will find the new scheme very user-friendly.

"We are aware that some homes have limited space and that some residents are frail or infirm. In such cases we may be able to offer assisted collections by arrangement with individual residents."

Some "Angry" residents who have contacted the Herald this week have labelled EDDC a "dictatorship" amid concerns newly delivered wheelie bins and "gull sacks" are troublesome an impractical, especially for the elderly, those with mobility issues and terraced home-owners.

Mr O' Hara said: "The council, who have spent �26 per household on a 'bin set', have failed in their statutory duty to consult us regarding this major change in services'.

Criticism has also been labelled at EDDC's publicising of the event. Around 70 people attended the Ottery road-show, with only 10 turning out for a similar event in Tipton St John on Tuesday.