AN elderly grandmother whose general waste bin has not been emptied for three weeks fears it will attract rats to her home.

Doreen Lunt, aged 81, says she rang Bolton Council 11 times in one day to try and get through to someone to arrange a collection .

The pensioner lives in sheltered accommodation run by Bolton at Home and says she feels like she is being "passed from pillar to post" by people over the phone.

She said the council has previously claimed it has been unable to access her bins because of a locked gate — but added that her recycling bins have been emptied on other days without a problem.

Widow Mrs Lunt, who lives on her own, cannot take the bins through the gates herself due to health problems, and uses a walking frame to get about.

Mrs Lunt, of Warwick Street, said: "I don't think it's fair that they keep messing me around like this. They keep passing me from pillar to post but still no one has come out to move it.

"I get told that the bin men can't get into the gates, but they quite easily emptied one of my other bins this week, so they must have keys.

"If I could I would take them out myself but I use a walking frame and worry that if I fall, no one will be there to help me up.

"It's the general waste bin that they haven't taken, and I'm worried with this hotter weather that it will attract rats.

"I rang the council 11 times in one day and was left on hold for ages. When I finally got through they said they were going to come and pick the bags up but then they don't, so I don't know what to believe anymore."

Granddaughter Kayleigh Lunt, aged 21, added: "I am really annoyed that they are leaving her like this. She's worked hard her whole life and this is how she is treated."

Bolton Council collected Mrs Lunt's rubbish today and apologised for the delay after being contacted by The Bolton News.

A council spokesman said: "We’d like to apologise for the collections that were missed, and a crew has been back and emptied the bin.

"There were some access issues but we are working with Bolton at Home to resolve these to try to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”