Rubbish bags left dumped in the streets of Leigh over Christmas could have caused a health hazard, says the local MP.

David Amess has called for an explanation over why some residents were forced to wait more than two weeks for their black bags to be collected. In some cases, bags were split open by cats and foxes leading to unsightly rubbish being blown all over the roads.

He demanded to know why Southend Council had not made special arrangements over the holiday period, which meant some residents had no collection between December 22 and January 4.

He said: "I have been inundated by calls from constituents who were absolutely incensed about the situation. No proper information seemed to be available and black rubbish bags were being left in local streets for days.

"I want to know why no special arrangements were made by the council for collections to be made during the long time which was involved because of the Bank Holidays over Christmas and the Millennium New Year."

A council spokesman said the number of Bank Holidays this year had complicated the situation and it had been difficult to make a decision on what the council could do.

During the two possible working days between Christmas and the New Year all the landfill sites in the area were closed.

She added: "We decided to have a special collection on January 3 and to just miss the time in-between because of the problems.

"The council made special arrangements to have Barling landfill site open on January 3 so we could provide the service."

The spokesman said the collection arrangements had been advertised in the council's Civic News, which is delivered to homes within the borough and in other parts of the media.

Information was also given on the council's 24 hour refuse hotline.

However, leaflets had not been distributed to residents detailing the revised Christmas and New Year arrangements.

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