Landlords could be made responsible for the rubbish left by their student tenants in Southampton.

The city council is looking at its legal powers to crackdown on the end of term dumping that blights student areas of the city.

At the start of July, 45 tonnes of waste was collected in a bulk clear-up of houses in Portswood and the Polygon, costing the taxpayer more than £6,000.

Yvonne Enright, chairman of the Fitzhugh Residents' Association, said many residents had had enough.

She said: "The end of year student clearout was an absolute nightmare. Outside one property there were 32 bin bags."

Southampton has a student population of about 28,000 between its two universities, with an estimated half living in rented accommodation.

Waste discarded Councillor Gavin Dick, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said the two days of clear-ups were for all residents but admitted it was the waste discarded at the end of the academic terms that triggered the problem and "something needs to be done".

For the full story see today's Southern Daily Echo.