LEDBURY's branch of supermarket Tesco has come under fire for the state of its recycling bins.

Charmian Mocatta of Much Marcle, who shops regularly in the town, said that the bins have remained unemptied and overflowing, making the town look "dilapidated".

She said she and her husband visited the supermarket on Sunday.

"We were appalled to see the state of the recycling bins in the car park – they were overflowing," she said. "I spoke to an employee in Tesco who was apologetic and explained that they had complained to the firm which deals with the bins who did not seem to be too concerned so that now the problem was with Tesco head office.

"I telephoned Hereford Council who explained that the matter was the responsibility of Tesco. I had no success with the Tesco head office because when I finally was answered, I was cut off and put onto a machine to leave a message. I wanted to speak to a human being.

"At the moment, they are overflowing.They might not, yet, cause a health problem but make Ledbury look as if it is part of a dilapidated inner city. We do mind a great deal."

A Tesco spokesperson said: “We’re pleased to be able to offer a recycling facility for our customers in Ledbury. Our collection partners schedule weekly pick-ups, and in-between those collections or colleagues keep the area as tidy as possible.”

But the Ledbury Reporter understands that Tesco is working with its collection partner, D S Smith, to address the problem of delayed emptying of the recycling bins.

A DS Smith spokesman said: “The company is currently looking into this as a priority. DS Smith is committed to ensuring all its collections are carried out in a timely manner. Recycling levels can fluctuate outside of our control, especially at this time of year. The company is working with all its partners to ensure the right collection levels are in place, and will continue to monitor the level of recycling at this and other sites.”