A mother claims a huge pile of rubbish which was meant to be collected over two weeks ago has become a serious fire hazard.
Julie Hopcraft, 40, who lives above the shops in Long Drive, South Ruislip, says she has phoned Hillingdon Council on numerous occasions to ask them to clear about 80 bags of rubbish which are blocking her back door.
Speaking last Wednesday, she said: "If there was a fire at the front of our flat we wouldn't be able to get out of the back door because there are so many bags. I can't even hang my washing out.
"The council collected some two weeks ago but they didn't take all of it, and before that they didn't collect it for three weeks. It's meant to be collected every Wednesday.
"It's just terrible, and I saw a massive dead rat when I was taking my little boy to school today.
"If it was the summer the smell would be horrendous. It's just out of order."
Kathy Sparks, deputy director of environment and consumer protection at Hillingdon Council, said: "We have worked with the owner and company that manages the flats to agree a new method of waste collection.
"Residents will now put waste into large, communal bins which can be wheeled beyond the area causing access problems.
"We went to the flats last week with a smaller van to collect waste in the meantime."
