Residents are celebrating after the debris from cleaning out houses and flats was removed five weeks after being flooded.

Earlier this week, there were four or five skips overflowing with rubbish in Normandy Crescent, in Cowley, Oxford, on grass verges, along with up to 13 fridges and freezers filled with rotting food.

The bulk of the rubbish has now been taken away by Oxford City Council, which owns 14 of the properties flooded by a burst water main in January.

Beverly Bacon, who has a four-year-old son, Marcus, and lives in one of the ground floor flats, said: "Looking out through the window now is the first time since the floods I have seen it looking so tidy.

"I'm definitely pleased they've done it.

"It's a lot better now they've cleaned all the stuff - I think it was actually quite dangerous.

"It wasn't healthy for children and there are quite a lot of youngsters who live here."

Maureen Stone, 67, who lives in a flat with husband Raymond, said: "It's been horrendous.

"It just looked like a landfill site. All the debris had just been thrown out and stuff was blowing around the site.

"But I looked out of the window on Monday and they were moving the big bags of rubbish.

"A bit further down all the fridges and bags of food had gone, and l think the great big skip was gone too."

Before the fridges had been removed, Mrs Stone said the smell of rotting food had been so strong she was unable to walk her dog, Barney, past because it was too unpleasant.

On Monday, Barney was able to use his usual route.

Council tenancy operations director Simon Price said: "The situation's still not ideal so it's a case of us having to work with the tenants in situ and those in temporary accommodation."

He added: "Because fridges have to be disposed of in a certain way, we decided to wait until a large number were ready and deal with them together.

"Looking back, in hindsight, probably that wasn't the right way of doing it.

"But we have learned from our mistakes and we'll make sure it won't happen again."