A GROUP of residents dumped over 300 bags of rubbish outside the council offices in Tredomen last night in protest at new collection arrangements.

Representatives from five streets in Cwmfelinfach gathered over a month of rubbish - the date since the last collection - and scattered it around the council premises.

A 3.5 tonne lorry with two trailers and over 30 cars were used to distribute the rubbish evenly outside the council premises to cause as much disruption as possible.

The Argus reported at the beginning of this month how residents of five streets in Cwmfelinfach, as well as Glenview Terrace in Ynysddu, had refused to comply with council plans to collect rubbish from the front of their properties instead of the rear lanes.

Many residents have to carry their bins down steep steps to a main road - but say they have been told they cannot leave the bins there as they could constitue a danger on the front pavements.

Grosvenor Williams, aged 62, of King Street said: "The protest had two aims. Firstly we wanted to get rid of the rotting bags of rubbish that have been collecting for five weeks. Secondly to register our protest at the council's proposal for collection in our streets.

"At least Caerphilly county borough council now know Cwmfelinfach exists - they won't forget us now. No matter what it takes to bring them round we will do it because the residents of Cwmfelinfach will never put a bag of rubbish in front of their house."

The residents dumped the rubbish during a meeting of full council. Despite the combination of the mess and the stench from the rubbish, as well as the sound of beeping horns from the vehicles of the protesters, the councillors didn't seem to take a great deal of notice.

Outside, the clean-up operation was conducted initially by caretaker John Bennett and cleaner Pauline Crocker.

Mr Bennett said: "I had a shock when I saw just how much rubbish was dumped. I thought it would only be a little bit of rubbish at the entrance but when I saw all this in the car park I was surprised - I just hope they bring a big truck to pick all this up!"

A truck turned up just before the close of the meeting at 9pm to pick up several large piles of rubbish which had been gathered by staff.

Ynysddu councillor Don Cullen said: "It's sad that it has come to this when you think of the distance they have travelled to dump this rubbish - we should have been able to work this out together."