CHANGES to Ottery s waste and refuse collection have been rubbished by some outraged residents.

CHANGES to Ottery's waste and refuse collection have been rubbished by some outraged residents.

Puzzled terraced home-owners have been left fuming after heavy, green "gull sacks" were "dumped" on their doorsteps- without notice- last week, while larger households received wheelie bins.

Part of an East Devon District Council initiative, residents will be expected to place bin-liners filled with landfill waste in the seagull-proof sacks and bins from June onwards.

Two containers for food-waste have been delivered this week.

Townsfolk voiced their unhappiness to district councillor David Cox for 25 minutes at last week's annual parish meeting, even though the issue wasn't on the agenda.

Main concerns were that the sacks are, unwieldy, unnecessary, and will obstruct narrow streets- one resident described the prospect of them lining Ottery's numerous terraced streets as "chaos".

Pensioner Connie Baker, 70, said she will refuse to take the "green monstrosity" sack into her Mill Street home when the initiative begins.

She said: "There is a lot of anger- I'm angry.

"It turned up on my doorstep without any notice, both I and my husband suffer from arthritis, he nearly fell when he tried to pick it up- and that's when it was empty."

"A very pretty leaflet came round saying how nice it will be- but where will we put it all? Animals could urinate on it and what if it rains? I don't want to drag that through my home.

"It's an issue for many terraced properties- we are getting the short end of the stick. East Devon District Council is rolling out the scheme across the region in a bid to increase its recycling rates and reduce waste going to landfill.

A road-show is planned in the town next month to clear up confusion and address issues raised.