Bolton residents have been left feeling 'annoyed' after their bins were missed and left full in a recent refuse collection.

Residents in Farnworth and Kearsley took to social media this week expressing their anger after more than 77 streets were missed in recent collections.

Denis Wilson, a resident from Farnworth, said his bin should have been emptied last Friday but still has not been emptied a week later even though the council said they would be back out within 48 hours.

He said: "My experience with the missed bins was very annoying.

"I put the bins out as usual on the Friday morning, July 29, the green bin was emptied but the beige and burgundy one wasn't.

"So the usual thing is if it hasn't been collected you leave it out for the next morning but because of the time delay I just left it out, but when it hadn't been emptied on Monday I went onto the Bolton Council website onto the refuse department on the 'why has my bin not been emptied?' and I had a look and I was really shocked at what I found.

"Some of the bins hadn't been emptied because of access but almost probably over 90 per cent were beige and burgundy bins that hadn't been emptied not just in Farnworth but in lots of areas in Bolton and the reason behind it was operational issues, but it states they will return within 48 hours.

"So, on Monday afternoon I then phoned Bolton Council refuse department and said what is happening with the bins, why have so many areas of Bolton not had their bins emptied?

"I said I have seen its due to operational issues, what are these? and she said I don't know.

"I said what do you mean you don't know you're supposed to be the point of contact.

"Operational issues to me is the truck has either broken down, there are no drivers, or the refuse centre is full.

"The woman on the phone said I don't know we're not told any of that.

"She just advised me to squash my bottles and cans down, so I said what do I do when the bin is full?

"She said put them in an open top bag at the side of the bin and they will take them, so I said that is disgusting, we pay council tax to have our bins emptied and this isn't the first time that this has happened.

"I feel annoyed, the fact we pay council tax, and our bins are not being emptied.

"I have another week yet until it is due to be emptied and it is almost full now a week on, by the time it gets emptied next week it would have been four weeks since it was last emptied.

"My grey bin was collected as normal this morning which leads me to believe that there is a problem with the waste refuse collection centre or the vehicles that they use for the collections."

Tony Pearson, another resident who lives in Farnworth, said his area is often missed.

He said: "Contacting the council is pointless, you get the same scripted reply each time.

"Also its rare they return to empty the bins.

"Trafford Street in Farnworth is missed quite a lot, and the main reason is they can't get access but there are three ways into the back street."

Tracey Wilkinson, councillor for Farnworth and Kearlsey First Group said: "Missed bins isn't a new issue it has happened for years but I feel it is communicated and shared more now so feels more regular.

"There is a whole host of reasons bins get missed from staff absences, vehicle issues, unable to access the bins, to name a few.

"However I know they always offer to re-collect often the following day.

"I understand there maybe a few isolated issues where bins haven't been emptied week on week but often there is a specific issue which residents would need to discuss directly with the council services for example contaminated bins is a big issue or weight is another one.

"If anyone has a direct issue that their bin isn't being emptied regularly they can contact either Paul, Lisa or myself and we will be happy to address it.

"Hope this helps!"

Maureen Flitcroft, previous councillor for Farnworth and Kearsley First Group said: "I know that the department is under pressure, staff shortage, not just operatives but behind the scenes mechanics etc.

"So if a vehicle develops a fault there is going to be a longer wait for it to be back on the rounds.

"Then of course there is the staff and problems a lot of companies are facing in retaining staff when similar positions elsewhere are better paid.

"It's a tough one, people don't want council tax increases but still want services to be as they were.

"Something has to give. This is of course my personal opinion."

Bolton Council has been approached for comment.