Rubbish time for battered binmen

BINMEN are taking a battering as the number of ‘rubbish rage’ attacks increase.

Local councils say there were 117 incidents last year where refuse collectors were verbally or physically assaulted by members of the public.

And a whopping 38 per cent of all incidents involving crews resulted in physical violence – up from 34 per cent two years ago – with staff being punched, headbutted and spat at.

Some were attacked after telling householders that they had sorted their rubbish for recycling incorrectly.

And in Chichester, West Sussex, a rubbish crew had to barricade themselves inside the cab of their truck while a man ranted at them for 20 minutes while hanging on to the wing mirror.

A Local Government Association spokesman said: “Binmen and women do a fantastic job and must be free to do their work without abuse. Any attack is unacceptable.”