Dustmen are refusing to collect rubbish bags from a street because they say it is an awkward shape.

People living in L-shaped Westbourne Street, Hove, are kicking up a stink over the excuse given by waste firm Sita.

Residents in Westbourne Street, who called Sita when their bin-bags were not collected on Monday, were told the dustcart cannot get round a bend at the end of the one-way section of the street.

Now Westbourne ward councillor Brian Oxley has written to the Brighton and Hove Council scrutiny board, which is investigating the service.

Coun Oxley said: "I received complaints from residents that Sita will not collect household waste from Westbourne Street because drivers find it difficult to turn in the road. This has not been an issue in the past.

"I have never heard anything so ridiculous. It is ludicrous to put that forward as a reason.

"Refuse collection and street cleaning is one of the most basic services councils provide. In this day and age, people shouldn't have to live this way. It is up to the company to sort it out."

Westbourne Street resident Charlotte Lloyd has phoned Sita several times about uncollected rubbish. She has also contacted them at least 15 times over street cleaning and leaves being left to become a slippery mulch.

She said: "I was told they can't get around the corner. I suggested they reverse from the top but they said they can't reverse more than 100 yards.

"That would work fine because then they could walk down the road with wheelie bins, but the person on the phone said it would take too long and he wouldn't want his men doing that."

Mrs Lloyd said the rubbish was eventually collected but several days late and only after she complained.

She said: "If the vans are too big then it should be up to management to make sure they are the right size to get through. The previous contractor and the one before that never had any problems.

"We are paying between £700 and £800 council tax but the service is appalling."

The company will meet with the council scrutiny board to explain measures it is implementing to improve the service.

A Sita spokeswoman said: "The problem in the one-way section of Westbourne Street arises because there is a sharp ninety-degree corner and people tend to park there, blocking the road.

"Residents may not be getting collections on the specified days but they are getting a collection the following day."

Since Sita changed its rubbish collection rotas in August, it has been bombarded with complaints, with 2,000 calls registered in one day.