A COMMUNITY blighted by flytipping heaved a sigh of relief as metal gates went up around their bins.

Residents of masionettes in Druce Way, on Oxford’s Blackbird Leys estate, spent years campaigning for something to be done about rubbish around their flats.

They say life is now “100 times better” after Oxford City Council last month moved the problematic bins, locked them away and created new recycling facilities.

Resident Steve Shepherd, 41, said: “We’ve lived here for five years and in all that time we’ve had problems with the bins on the block.

“They are supposed to be just for the people who live in the masionettes here, but they’ve never been locked.

“It was just an invitation for everyone else around here to dump their rubbish there too.”

Mr Shepherd told the Oxford Mail in May the area around his home had become unbearable.

He said: “It got to the point a lot of the time where the bottom of the stairs was full of black bags. It absolutely stank, cats and foxes would get in and there would be rubbish strewn everywhere. It’s so frustrating and it’s so disrespectful to discover someone has taken the time to come over and dump stuff on your doorstep.

“People wouldn’t like it if I walked over to their gardens and dumped all my rubbish over their fence. And it’s the same thing.”

The city council last month moved the bins out of sight and installed metal gates, which only residents have keys to.

Mr Shepherd said: “It’s only been six weeks but it’s 100 times better. Hopefully we’ve turned a corner.

“It makes a massive difference just to be able to come home from work and not find bags and rubbish scattered around.

“I found it very frustrating that it took so long and I’ve had to spend my time emailing, making phone calls, writing letters and having meetings.

“We weren’t asking for miracles, but now the basics are done hopefully we can move on.”

Council waste and fleet manager Phil Dunsdon said: “The work we carried out in Druce Way is part of our commitment with the Cleaner, Greener Oxford campaign to improve the environment for our residents.

“Officers from across the council have been working together to provide the right facilities for residents to recycle their waste as well as ensuring that residents understand how the new recycling storage area works.”

He added: “We are pleased that we are able to work with residents to ensure that they are happy with their scheme and that this helps the council increase its recycling rate and improve the environment.”