Shocking pictures show piles of rotting rubbish still piling up in Birmingham despite council claims that collections are back to normal.

Striking refuse staff have vowed to carry on industrial action indefinitely unless demands are met, with some believing it may be ongoing at Christmas.



Birmingham City Council say they have cleared 100 per cent of the large piles of waste in hot-spot areas and 85 per cent of rubbish from the rest of the city.

Despite the council's claims, grim images show overflowing bins, split rubbish bags and rotting food strewn across residential streets.

Photographs taken in Bordesley Green show old boxes and waste dumped on the pavements and roads.

Another shot shows a red wheelie bin crammed with trash next to bulging bin bags piled up on the path.

Local resident Graham Marlow, 45, said: "How the council can keep a straight face and say they have everything under control is mad. "

"They only need to come down from their ivory towers and have a look at the streets to know the city is still waist deep in rubbish. "

"My family are sick of it. I'm sick of it. I can't wait to leave this city. It's little wonder people now call Birmingham Scummy Brum." "

More pictures show fly-tipping is still plaguing the city, with old beds, mattresses, shop mannequins and even an industrial-sized freezer being dumped on the streets.

Other shocking images show how residents have struggled to even park their cars as the mountains of rubbish swamps residential areas.

The bin strike has attracted worldwide attention with shocking pictures of giant ‘cat-sized' rats chasing council workers.

Disabled people reliant on wheelchairs have also been trapped in their homes by giant piles of rubbish dumped on pavements and in alleyways.

Opposition politicians have accused the Labour-led council of failing to end the dispute.

Birmingham's Conservative leader councillor Robert Alden said: "What we've seen sadly over the last two weeks, since national support from the army has been withdrawn, [is that] bin lorries have not been going out again. "

"Indeed by the end of the week, barely any bin lorries were going out and that's leading to more rubbish starting to build up on the streets." "

Khan, who is a Birmingham councillor and MP for Perry Barr, also said thousands of tonnes of rubbish were still piling up on the streets.

He added: "You see the frustration across the whole city. "

"What striking bin workers are saying is very simple: 'We've got mortgages to pay, we've got children to raise."



"The cost of living is going through the roof and we just want a fair deal.'" "

A council spokesperson said: "Before industrial action began, our crews were collecting about 1,000 to 1,100 tonnes of waste per day. "

"However, in recent weeks, our crews have collected 1,500 to 1,700 tonnes of waste each day, with a reduced team. "

"This highlights the need for transformation in the service we provide to residents."