So the residents of Beaconsfield Villas and some surrounding streets, who are "not against the principle of recycling" or "against doing their bit to help the environment" do, however, object to the introduction of wheelie bins in their neighbourhood.

They claim their objections stem from their wish to preserve the beauty of the conservation area in which they live.

Are these the same residents who frequently double-park fuel-guzzling 4x4s alongside their "beautiful tree-lined" roads and, once a week, deposit ugly black rubbish filled bin liners onto their pathways?

Do I smell a whiff of hypocrisy in the conservation air?

-Sheila James, Brighton