THE emptying of litter bins in a village near Worcester is causing a stink.

There are three offending bins in Kempsey, according to Malvern Hills District Council, which holds the contract to empty the litter.

One of those was installed less than a month ago at Napleton Lane, another is at The Rocky in Church Street, and the third is in Brookend Lane.

They are are all dual purpose bins.

Dog owners and residents anxious to clean up their lawns are acting so conscientiously that they are collectively putting too much of the muck in the bins provided.

Kempsey Parish Council employs the district council to empty the bins but a letter to the parish council clerk said: “Dog waste was the majority of the bin contents.

“Malvern Hills District Council operators emptied the bins on this occasion but they will report back if the dog waste is once again the mainstay.”

The letter went on to say health and safety rules meant dog waste could only make up to 50 per cent or less of the bin contents.

Parish councillors were surprised to hear about the limit to dog waste.

John Michael, vice-chairman, said the parish council should write back and “ask where this condition has come from”.

Fellow councillor Melody Baker said she had sympathy with the district council’s collectors.

“I saw the back of one of their waste trucks when they’d emptied these bins and it was an appalling sight,” she said.

Worcester City Council had previously had a contract to empty separate dog bins but the current deal had saved the parish council about £1,500, according to the council’s clerk.

“It’s a serious issue, so what do we do about it?” said chairman Terry Ward.

“We can’t ban incontinent dogs after all.”

It was agreed to write to the district council to discuss “a practical solution”.