FOR at least two weeks this was the scene behind a row of businesses in Winchester City Centre.

Tucked away from the main road of St George’s Street and Upper Brook Street is a small courtyard surrounded by flats, back doors to businesses and private garages.

The usually tidy area however, grew dirtier by the day earlier this month, as three unemptied bins were left festering in the sunshine.

They are believed to belong to The Winchester Centre, and were left overflowing, with untied and ripped bags spewing their contents in to the car park.

One box balanced amongst the rubbish was labelled ‘Needle Exchange’.

After a quick call to Rob Heathcock, assistant director of high quality environment at Winchester City Council, the piles of rubbish mysteriously disappeared overnight.

Mr Heathcock did not comment. 

A council spokesman said: “The issue has been sorted out by the city council’s facilities team. They are the Council’s bins and the problem was lack of a transfer note for them so Biffa stopped emptying them. They were emptied on Thursday and the paperwork has now been sorted.”