A PENSIONER from Witney is refusing to recycle his rubbish in a protest against binmen leaving his waste boxes “in a mess”.

Chris Roger got so fed up at finding the boxes left strewn outside his house last year that he has returned them to West Oxfordshire District Council.

Mr Roger, of Ralegh Crescent, said: “I was just furious, to be honest.

“People walking on the footpath had to go on to the road to get past the boxes.

“I failed to get the council to ensure that my boxes, once emptied, are placed back on my drive.

“It made them into a hazard for pedestrians, wheelchair users and parents with pushchairs.

“They just didn’t seem to care. We were devoted recyclers and went out to buy a four-drawer cabinet for our kitchen to separate the waste for council requirements.

“We feel that we are environmentalists to some degree and it’s only right to make sure not all our waste goes into landfill.

“We were recycling about 85 per cent of our waste. But the council has lost that now.”

Mr Roger said that before finally losing patience he had lodged three complaints with the council over the course of last year.

Council spokesman Sara Long confirmed that Mr Roger had been in touch with officers.

She said: “We’re sorry to hear that Mr Roger is unhappy with our waste collection service.

“West Oxfordshire residents do a fantastic job of recycling and we have one of the highest recycling rates in the country.

“On each occasion, he raised his concerns about the waste crews not leaving his bins and recycling boxes tidy after emptying.

“Our officers have spoken to Mr Roger previously and have resolved each complaint with him.

“However, we would like to reassure him that our waste contractor is continually being monitored.”