EVESHAM town councillors fear rats will be running along the town's streets because of changes in refuse collection policies.

The new system, introduced by Wychavon District Council in a bid to increase recycling, means garden waste is no longer collected from homes.

They want residents to compost waste or put it in special sacks for collection - at the cost of more than £1.50 each.

Town councillor John Smith, speaking at a meeting on Monday, said: "We have to reduce our waste collection but it has got to the crazy stage that people are having their domestic waste left if they have two flower heads in it."

Cllr Alan Booth added: "The dustmen are going round poking the bags and the ones that contain garden waste are getting left there. I can see it getting to the point where we will have rats running around the streets."

Cllr Ron Cartwright, also a district councillor, said: "A lot of councillors spoke against this scheme. The rates will stay the same and we have lost an exceedingly good service."

Cllr Roma Kirke added: "If anyone is opening a black bag they are actually breaking the law. I'm horrified if the waste disposal people are doing that deliberately and I think we need to make the point that that should not be happening."

Mark Edwards, waste management officer at Wychavon, said the council had to increase recycling targets from 15 per cent to 21 per cent within the year. He added: "We were one of the last authorities to take garden waste free of charge. We weren't obliged to take it and in many we've been generous over the last few years and people have got used to it.

"The refuse collectors need time to get used to the new system. There may have been the odd incident (when rubbish was left) but we need to explain that certain waste, like flower heads, is classed as household waste."