OAP left with old furniture as bin men won't lean over fence

COUNCIL workers refused to take away old furniture from a pensioner's home – because it had been left for collection in her front garden rather than feet away on the pavement.

Housebound Hannah Air, 81, had arranged for the bulky items – including a bed base and two dismantled wardrobes – to be picked up from her Magdalene Gardens home.

But, concerned that someone could trip over the rubbish, she asked relatives to instead place the items in her front garden in clear view the night before collection.

Her daughter-in-law Rena Macdonald, 52, said: "She saw the bin men come and even take a picture of the items, but they wouldn't uplift them.

"When she called them, she was told they were in an 'inappropriate place' and that is exactly the phrase used when I called again, later on. I think they were incredibly lazy."

Mrs Air, who has only limited mobility, relies on her family for all her outings and household errands.

She asked relatives to help her make arrangements for the unwanted items to be dismantled and neatly packaged up with tape, allowing for easy collection by city bin men at the end of last month.

She said: "I was just sitting in my house looking out of the window when they were meant to take the things away.

"I was quite upset as I thought they would have just picked them up – it would have been so easy just to lean over the fence."

When Mrs Air's family contacted the council to complain about the non-uplift, they were told that because the bin men made an outing for the failed collection, she would be charged for another uplift – at a cost of 23 – if she wanted them out again.

All households across Edinburgh are allowed one free council uplift of up to six items a year, but any additional ones come at a cost.

Mrs Macdonald said: "My mother-in-law is housebound and we came to her home one night especially to do this for her.

"She simply didn't want anyone to fall over the items and that's why they were put in the front garden.

"These items have been quite an eyesore for her since, as she's had to look at the rubbish from her window and when she passes by. I think she's been a bit embarrassed by it."

A spokesman for the city council today offered an apology to Mrs Air.

He said: "We will ensure these items are uplifted today and we will investigate why this has occurred."