Birmingham bin strike: ‘I’m still keeping rubbish in the hallway’

Across the city in Aston, Rob Brough, 56, said his general waste collections were also sporadic, with locals managing through regular tip runs.

He and his neighbour Naomi Clooney, 50, showed me videos of an enormous pile of rubbish at their apartment complex at the height of the strike in May.

At the time, seagulls would regularly tear open bin bags, leaving a trail of rubbish for other wildlife to feast on.

Ms Clooney, who has been taking her recycling to Wales when visiting family, said she believed the situation was unacceptable when residents had faced consecutive council tax rises.

“It [has] marred the perspective of the city,” she said. “I had family over from Ireland and it was really quite embarrassing.”