A FRAIL pensioner has been left to walk half-a-mile along an uneven, winding lane to put out her bins after being told binmen couldn't collect it.

Ribble Valley's council leader and MP have now pledged to find a solution for June Kay, of Rod Hill, Bolton-by-Bowland, who is just two weeks from her 80th birthday.

She and neighbour Harry Johnson, 60, received letters from the council telling them that new bin lorries would be unable to make it up the lane, and rubbish would have to be left at a collection point.

That means a walk of almost half a mile, taking in cattle grids and uneven surfaces, carrying two weeks' worth of household rubbish.

Ribble Valley Council said the changes were to accommodate new, bigger bin lorries brought in to deal with recycling.

Widow Mrs Kay said: "I can just about walk down to the end of the drive, but there's no way I could do it carrying something.

"Everything is unadopted up here - we have to pay for our own road and sewer repairs, so the only service we get from the council is having our bins emptied."

Mr Johnson said: "They are just asking the impossible - between Jean and me, we pay more than £4,000 a year in council tax.

"The Ribble Valley is renowned for its beauty, but with this policy we will have collections of rubbish at the end of every lane, and it will look awful."

MP Nigel Evans said: "Stalinist, bureaucratic adherence to the rules will never be allowed to defeat flexibility and common sense during the changes to the refuse system in the Ribble Valley.

"This is a new system being introduced in an incredibly diverse area, and the council, which is there to serve the public, should ensure that they plan for all homes in the borough."

Deputy council leader Richard Sherras said: "We will make sure we talk to these people and see whether we can come to a suitable arrangement.

"There are a lot of people we have asked to walk down to the end of their drives, because we have got to have longer wagons to accommodate the recycling.

"This is not about saving money - we are spending more to bring in this system, but we face heavy fines if we do not recycle.

"Ninety-seven per cent of people are happy with the service."