A SPECIAL clean-up squad to tackle forgotten rubbish is being brought in by council bosses after complaints from angry residents.

Waste chiefs in Southampton have promised to do something about the growing numbers of bin bags that have been left to pile up outside people's homes.

Families in a Millbrook block of flats were forced to look out on to a smelly mountain of waste which had been left uncollected for nearly one month.

Mother-of-one Gillian Moore, from Wimpson Lane, Millbrook said: "I live in the block of flats opposite Wimpson Lane Post Office and our rubbish wasn't collected for over three weeks.

"There's young babies and pensioners living here. The problem got really bad - it was a health risk."

Another caller, from Newlands Avenue, in Shirley, who asked to remain anonymous, even complained of seeing rats running about in his back garden as a result of his two-week-old waste attracting some unwelcome visitors.

And despite calls to City Council refuse lines about their uncollected sacks, many have given up trying after continually being placed in long queues.

Retired homeowner William Ensley, of Mowbray Road, Sholing said: "I've had no collection for 17 days.

"We are due for collection every Friday but we are still waiting, I've had a chat with the leader of the council June Bridle and she said somebody would ring me about it on Monday, but they haven't rung back.

"Obviously they didn't employ the correct labour force and with all the rubbish left over from Christmas, this is a real health hazard".

"Our wheelie bins are full and we are putting rubbish in sacks which are open to the elements and animals tearing them apart".

Millbrook councillor George Melrose is also backing residents' pleas for something to be done about the waste problem.

He said: "I think it's appalling that administration has fallen down on waste in the city.

"This whole matter needs to be addressed and something done about why it has taken so long for rubbish to be collected between the period of Christmas and New Year."

Thanks to residents' calls to the Daily Echo, council chiefs have now promised to get the clean-up operation underway as soon as possible.

Commenting on the waste problem in Wimpson Lane, a spokesman for Southampton City Council said: "It appears that rubbish in this area was not collected for a time and we can only apologise at this slip from our usually high standards.

"We had received calls from residents and we are already investigating, but are also grateful to the Daily Echo for bringing this to our attention.

"Anyone who has a problem with their rubbish collection can ring the city council on 023 8033 2788 and we'll look at every case and if something has gone wrong, put it right."