Residents of an Oxford estate have been promised the rubbish mounting up outside their homes will be cleared by this weekend — weather permitting.

People living in Blackbird Leys should have had their blue recycling bins taken away last Friday, but the fortnightly collection was cancelled because of snow.

Despite Oxford City Council originally telling residents they might have to wait until the next collection to get rid of their rubbish, last night it promised to move all recycling by Saturday.

Residents have been complaining about the rubbish mounting up in their streets.

Alan Hathaway, inset, of Sorrel Road, who called Oxford City Council’s City works department to urge collections to resume, said: “Why did it take them so long to agree to do it? It only snowed for two days.”

Mother-of-three Nicola Merritt, of Field Avenue, said: “There are loads of boxes down my street, all waiting for someone to come and pick them up.

“I’ll be surprised, but pleasantly, if the council manages to get all the rubbish cleared by Saturday.”

Council spokesman Louisa Dean said: “All recycling and waste will be collected by Saturday, weather permitting.

“Oxford City Council officers have been working extremely hard to collect waste following last week’s adverse weather conditions and we are grateful to officers who have come in from annual leave to assist the effort.”