Bins left uncollected for more than three weeks left sheltered housing residents worried about pests and vermin.

Litter was left scattered across the ground outside Daniel Court on North Acre, Colindale, after large wheelie bins were left to overflow following a shake-up of Barnet’s bin rounds.

The council has claimed it is getting on top of the problems with missed bin collections and the refuse service is returning to normal.

But Jonathan Garfield, who lives at Daniel Court, said it was “ridiculous” that their bins were overflowing three months after the bin round changes were rolled out.

He said: “There is so much rubbish out of the front of the flats.

“Every morning we come outside and the poor woman who runs the building, her first problem of the day is clearing up the litter the foxes have scattered.

“People in the flats are getting very irate about it. They are worried about pests and vermin.

“We are ringing every day asking for our bins to be collected. We pay for it in our council tax. It is disgusting.”

Mr Garfield criticised the council for “spending £50 million of taxpayers’ money on new offices in Colindale when they can’t collect the rubbish any more”.

He also pointed out that council leader Cllr Richard Cornelius claimed the council had “turned a corner” and there would be improvements in bin rounds in a statement as far back as the end of November.

Mr Garfield added: “I bet Totteridge Lane and Uphill Lane in Mill Hill have had their bins collected.”

Barnet Council pledged to empty the bins by the end of Wednesday (February 20).

A council spokesperson said: “We have spoken to the crew responsible for Daniel Court to its ensure its bins are now emptied regularly.

“We hope that there will be no further issues and apologise for the inconvenience caused.”

Residents are encouraged to report any issues with their collection at www.barnet.gov.uk/bincollectionupdates so the council can ensure any issues are resolved as efficiently as possible.