A fabric shop owner is claiming to have a solution to the problem of bin bags being torn apart by seagulls.

David Warburton, of Fabric Warehouse in George Street, Brighton, says the answer could be a material used to make parachutes. It is so light that 2m of it can be balled up in one hand but so strong that seagulls cannot peck through it.

Mr Warburton thinks the material, called rip stock, could easily be turned into large bags to hold rubbish sacks.

He said: "You could keep the rubbish outside in the rip stock until the binmen came.

"Once they had taken out the sacks they could post the rip stock through people's letterboxes. If it got a bit dirty people could just put it through the washing machine."

Mr Warburton, 65, of Ridgeway, Woodingdean, came up with the idea after reading Monday's front page of The Argus about problems with rubbish in the city centre.

He said: "Wheelie bins aren't practical everywhere. This would be a much cheaper idea ."

Previous attempts to deal with the rubbish have included the Binvelope, a collapsible box that holds two waste sacks and fastens with Velcro.

Mr Warburton plans to approach Brighton and Hove City Council's refuse operator Cityclean with his idea.

A spokeswoman said: "Cityclean is always happy to discuss innovative solutions and looks forward to talking to the gentleman."

Thursday, August 18, 2005