HEREFORDSHIRE has a hard-hitting new campaigner. Lindi St. Clair, known to the nation as Miss Whiplash, wants to leave her mark on local politics.

Lindi, who now lives near Bromyard, is livid at the county council's new rubbish collection contract, striking out at a system that leaves she and other rural residents with only one free black bin bag per household each week.

Frustration

Finding her frustration shared by neighbours, the famed former dominatrix decided 'correction' was the only course of action.

Lindi's no novice when it comes to fighting causes having contested General Elections, on a platform of legalising brothels, as leader of the Corrective Party.

"This time it's the 'More Bin Sacks' crusade I'm on, and this is not just because I like shiny black PVC either!" she says.

Under the council's new privatised waste collection arrangement all households receive one free black sack a week - any more have to be paid for.

It was a move meant to mean equality in distribution. Previously, homes in Hereford City received no free bags, those in South Herefordshire one and those in the Leominster and former Malvern Hills authority areas up to three.

The council bases its case on cost savings. At 3p each the bags are 'too expensive' to allow for more than one.

But rural folk were roused to fury. Many protested they were now paying more Council Tax for less service and wanted earlier allocations retained, claiming different communities had different needs.

Miss Whiplash, who swapped domination for duckherding in the peace and quiet of her county retreat, wants to rally this dissatisfaction in a fight for change

She's ready to stand against her local councillor, cabinet member for environment Christopher Grover. The pair have already argued over the issues involved. "People's council tax, regardless of location, should be adequate enough to provide more than one 3p bin bag," says Lindi.

q LEFT: Lindi prepares for action...

n Hereford Times picture by Ray Lloyd: 82616/27