CARLA Snook says she is slowly regretting moving to Biggleswade. Instead of breathing in the fresh air she expected after moving to the country from her native London she is greeted by the stench of rotting refuse. The heatwave has made matters worse for

CARLA Snook says she is slowly regretting moving to Biggleswade.

Instead of breathing in the fresh air she expected after moving to the country from her native London she is greeted by the stench of rotting refuse.

The heatwave has made matters worse for the police officer because her rubbish bin is now infested with maggots.

"I was looking forward to coming here but to force people to have their rubbish close to their homes for two weeks before it is collected is disgraceful," said Carla of Rose Lane who lives with her partner, an RAF officer.

"People can't leave the bins by their back doors because of the flies and smell and now my bin is full of maggots which I hate. I am terrified of picking up the bin or even moving is because they just drop out.

"I can't put the bin anywhere in the garden because there is no shade and my neighbours are also suffering.

"The rotting food and smell will just attract rats but Mid Beds District Council just said they only have one collection a fortnight because it saves them £700,000.

"This is high summer and no one should be forced to have rubbish close to their homes for two weeks. It is a health hazard.

"You can't open the windows because of the flies and sometimes I wish I had stayed in London."

A spokesman for Mid Beds District Council said residents should wrap waste food more carefully.

"Maggots appear when flies are able to get to a food source to lay their eggs," said the spokesman.

"The frequency of waste collection is not the cause of the maggots but may allow them more time to breed and increase.

"We would advise householders to ensure that all bins inside and outside the home containing food are kept firmly closed at all time so flies cannot get in and that no food is left lying around accessible to flies.

"Wrapping food waste does work if the flies have not been able to get to food before wrapping.

"Professional environmental health officers assure us that maggots, although unpleasant, are not a health risk.

"The alternative weekly collection system has proved it is possible to control the amount of waste we produce in Mid Beds.

"It has almost redoubled re-cycling from 16 per cent to 29.5 per cent, reduced tonnage going to landfill and saved the local taxpayers around £700,000 a year.