THERE were tales of uncollected bins, maggots and recycling waste left in black boxes on the side of the streets as the new recycling scheme was rolled out across Torbay.

Thousands of homes are still without the new bins which have been introduced to help the council save £14million a year in new landfill waste taxes and fines, says Tor2.

Worried pensioner Kay Glover, 72, from York Road, Paignton, said she was in 'such a state' about the new bins as she had maggots in her food waste and was struggling to get through on the phone line.

She also receives the special assisted service and says she has phoned the special helpline and even the Mayor's office to try and find out what is going on with the new service.

"I have maggots in my bin. It is horrible. All week I have been trying to find out what is going on," said Kay, whose bins are due to be collected on Friday.

Derek French, 56, from Vicarage Road, said he had put his rubbish out on Sunday night, but only the black bins had been collected on Monday while the recyclable waste, including food waste, was still in the street.

"I have just counted 10 houses with all their food waste and all the small black bags are full and we don't know when they are going to be collected because they are full."

One shocked resident from Torquay said there was traffic chaos and congestion in Babbacombe Road with a tailback about a mile long.

In the Shorton Valley area of Preston, bins placed outside odd numbered houses at 6am on Monday morning were still outside at 7.30pm — more than 12 hours later.

There were also complaints that at the junction of Preston Down Road and Rowcroft Road there were traffic delays as the lorries stopped and blocked the road as the waste was processed.

In Redburn Road, Paignton residents reported their waste had not been collected and some had not started to use the new box system.

Similar reports came from Mead Road too.

A Paignton resident in New Park Road said they had put their recycling bins outside before 6am on Monday morning and at midnight they had still not been collected.

A resident from Court Road, off Nut Bush Lane, Chelston, said her rubbish had not been collected either and her father who lives in Innerbrook Road did not have his waste collected.

She had also tried to get through to the helpline but did not have any success.

A Tor2 spokesman said the remaining bins would be rolled out by the end of the week and further information had been put on the company's website.

For more information on the new waste collection service, visit www.tor2.co.uk, or e-mail wastedoctors@tor2.co.uk or people can write to the Tor2 Customer Centre, Aspen Way, Yalberton Industrial estate, TQ4 7QR.