Overflowing bins in a Southampton street which saw rats “as big as guinea pigs” feasting on rubbish have finally been collected after 12 days of misery.

Wheelie bins on Mandela Way, Southampton were supposed to have been emptied on August 17 - but it wasn't until August 29 that that the bins were emptied - after the Echo first reported on the issue.

This happened a week and a half late due to a small alley being blocked by cars, according to the city council.

Daily Echo:

Residents are now sighing with relief after being able to open their windows freely without fearing the unpleasant smell.

Anne-Marie Paddington, 28, said: “I have not smelled anything since they came to collect the bins.

“The issue with the rats has also been resolved, at least I haven’t seen any since they were collected.

“It is a lot cleaner, and the road smells a lot better now that they came to collect the bins. We just hope that this doesn’t happen again because it wasn’t very nice to live in those conditions.”

Some residents have also disinfected the bins to prevent future rodent activity.

READ MORE: 'Uncollected rubbish has turned our street into a 24 hour buffet for rats'

The rodent woes had gotten worse since June when local resident Tina Rogers walked into her back garden to find her paddling pool full of mice.

Daily Echo:

Previously resident, Jamie Stanley, 47, described the scenes as a “24-hour buffet for rats” adding that her niece had sat in her car and watched as six rats “bigger than guinea pigs” came out from the bins at once.

Another resident, Michael Frost - who lives with his 36-year-old brother, Clive, and his mother - said he had never seen the neighbourhood in that state.

The 38-year-old added: “Some of the bins have maggots in them, we can’t put them in cars otherwise they will be over the car.

"You get rats coming out at night and you can hear them scratching at the bins.”