Dustmen refused to collect rubbish from basement flats, telling the residents they were not paid enough to walk down steps.

Angry flat-dwellers telephoned Brighton and Hove City Council and The Argus when their bin bags were left uncollected on Tuesday.

One retired resident, who has lived in Lansdowne Place, Hove, for more than 20 years said it was the second week their refuse had been left in their basements.

The pensioner said: "I was looking out for the binmen this week.

"My next-door neighbour saw them picking up the bags on the steps but not in the basement.

"She spoke to one of them who said he had been told not to pick the rubbish up from the basements because they weren't paid enough."

Neighbours complained to Cityclean, the council's in-house refuse service.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: "We've received complaints from Lansdowne Place residents.

"We are taking it very seriously and we will be following it up and speaking to residents and the crew concerned.

"We will be taking appropriate action."

Residents who telephoned the Cityclean helpline when their refuse was left behind were told the binmen should have collected the basement bags.

Brighton and Hove City Council maintains it pays good salaries to staff, with a refuse loader starting on a salary of £15,500 and a driver on £17,000.