Council suggests buying a loved one a wheelie bin for Christmas

A  council has been criticised for a "rubbish" idea  after recommending that locals buy a loved one a £60 wheelie  for Christmas.

Bromley Council in south London has written to residents suggesting that a 240-litre wheelie bin for garden waste with fortnightly collection thrown in could be the perfect present.

Writing in the most recent winter newsletter, called Environment Matters, the council states: "Need an unusual gift idea? Treat that special someone to a year's worth of garden waste collections!

"Your loved one will receive a large 240L wheelie bin to hold all types of green garden waste including leaves, weeds, twigs, grass cuttings and even real Christmas trees.

"Scheduled collections are made regularly every other week during peak gardening season March to November, then once a month from December to February.

"Why not sign up yourself and save the hassle of disposal? If you have a smaller garden or if you only garden occasionally, you can even share the cost and the wheelie bin with a neighbour. "

It says you can either buy the bin - which will be emptied for the year - or buy gift voucher.

The council says that the annual garden waste collection service costs the equivalent of just £1.15-a-week and is "exclusive to residents in the borough" and is "ideal if you are frequent gardener or if you are unable to home compost large amounts of garden waste yourself".

The bins, in which you can dump grass cuttings, leaves, pruning and hedge trimmings - but not soil, rubbles or household waste - are collected every two weeks from March to November and every month from December to February.

All waste from the garden waste bins are turned into compost and used in local farms.

Chris Stevens, 36, said his wife would be fuming if she found a giant 240-litre wheelie bin under the tree.

He said: "My wife would not be happy if she found a massive wheelie bin under the tree.

"Apart from anything else it would cost a fortune to wrap it up - what a daft idea."

Sam Russell wrote online: "Drop everything - Bromley Council have the best gift ideas."

And Sharon Hook wrote: "Ha ha - just want I've always wanted - a giant bin for Christmas. What a rubbish idea!"