Fed up Lanarkshire residents have been left "disgusted" at the state of their communal bins after spotting vermin and foxes there.
The issue began when bin collectors accidentally damaged the bins, ripping off the lids during a routine uplift which also saw one bin swallowed up by the rubbish truck.
With one less bin and others exposed without lids, neighbours at Allanton Gardens in Hamilton reported a foul smell as waste began to build up - a problem that worsened in the run up to Christmas.
Some residents spotted vermin and foxes, as well as crows, dragging rubbish all over the area.
Now one man, who lives at the complex in Ferniegair, says he fears the bin area will go up in flames as overflowing cardboard poses a fire hazard.
The concerned resident says the place has became "an eyesore".
He told Lanarkshire Live : "Gulls were dragging rubbish out the bins and rats and foxes were seen dragging rubbish everywhere.
"My neighbours reported vermin after three bins were left wide open.
"The smell is absolutely disgusting, no one would want to live next to that. And it will only get worse once the weather gets warmer again. It's a health hazard."
The resident added: "We first started to complain when the communal bins were damaged after the very first uplift by South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) bin collectors.
"They left the bins damaged and ripped the lids off them as the truck they sent was unable to uplift them adequately.
"It got worse when they returned for the second uplift as the bins were left crushed and one communal black bin that got stuck in the bin truck got crushed and was swallowed by the truck so now the residents have one bin less.
"This has resulted in the other bins overflowing and rubbish now being left beside the bins as there is no empty bins left for the rubbish to be put in."
The issue has affected over 20 Hamilton residents who all only moved to the new builds this year.
The damage to the bins happened on November 12, then again on November 24, resulting in weeks of an overload of rubbish.
People living at the flats have also complained that the bin huts have been built too close to the properties, leaving outdoor bins within touching distance of kitchen windows.
There are now also concerns that overflowing cardboard bins pose a fire hazard.
One resident added: "The foul smell is disgusting and the rubbish is an eyesore, the bin stores have been built between two blocks of flats less than a metre away from the buildings right next to kitchen windows and air vents to the properties.
"Residents can't open their kitchen windows as the foul smell is coming into their homes and also through the air vents at the side of the buildings.
"Some residents have seen vermin and foxes, there has been gulls and crows dragging rubbish all over the area and the blue bins are overflowing with cardboard, it's only a matter of time before a lit cigarette is thrown down by a residents and those bins will go up in flames right next to some residents windows."
SLC have apologised for the damage caused to the bins at the Hamilton homes, however the damaged bins have been replaced in recent weeks.
Head of facilities, waste and grounds services, Alistair McKinnon, told us : “Unfortunately bins can sometimes be damaged when being uplifted.
“New bins to replace those damaged were delivered two weeks ago.
“We apologise for any inconvenience and residents should follow the normal bin pattern collection over the festive period.”
Residents at the properties have since said they want more to be done to resolve the issue as one black bin remains without a lid and others still damaged.
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