IT sounds almost as daft as leaves on line, but for owners of green bins in Acomb it was frozen leaves which stopped the council workers from emptying them.

Labour Guildhall ward councillor Coun Brian Watson has locked horns with council officials after bin men failed to empty his green bin because the rubbish inside had "frozen" due to the cold weather.

Coun Watson, of Beckfield Lane, Acomb, said he fears that when winter really takes hold the streets of York will be lined with unemptied green bins, rotting and smelling as they thaw out.

But City of York Council has warned householders against over-filling their green bins compacting the waste and making them difficult to empty with the bin wagon machinery.

Coun Watson said he was amazed when he found his bin had not been emptied.

He said: "I rang up the City Pride hotline to be told by someone a couple of miles away that my bin was frozen - what wonderful vision.

"I told him that wasn't the case and I would go and check it again and ring him back. I checked again and for good measure gave it a prod with a thick stick, and at the same time tested a neighbour's whose bin hadn't been emptied either.

"The refuse wagon turned up to empty bins on the other side of the road. I asked the operator if he would empty these two bins.

"Without a glance in my direction he shouted "FROZEN!" and rushed off."

A City of York Council spokeswoman, said recent frosts had meant that they had struggled to empty one or two garden waste bins but these contained mostly leaves which, given their light weight, can be problematic at times.

In October, the council had the lowest number of missed collections reported than at any time this year and returned to more than 98 per cent of missed bins by the end of the next working day.

She said: "At this time of year, as gardeners tidy up their gardens, we find that a good deal of woody material is placed in the bin.

"Many householders tend to compact their waste in the bin, which makes it difficult to empty.

"Our crews use the mechanical shaker on the bins to try and free as much of the compacted waste as possible, but they are not allowed to reach in to free the waste.

"Crews try to ensure that every effort is made to empty bins whilst adhering to necessary health and safety rules. If householders take all reasonable steps to ensure the contents of their bins are not too compacted then we shouldn't have any difficulty emptying them - frost or not.

"In instances when it is not possible to empty the bin, staff are asked to advise customers of the cause and confirm when the next collection would be made."

We asked people what they thought of a bin being left because of frozen leaves

Hayley Parson, 21, of Clifton, said: "I think it's rubbish! I'm sure there is some way they'd be able to get it out of the bin. It's just ridiculous. I have a green bin, but my problem is that they don't empty the grey bins often enough."

Bev Smethers, 25, from Selby, said: "It's coming into winter so the council are going to have to expect frost. It's another case of bureaucracy at its finest."

Caroline Axham, 35, from Scarborough said: "At the end of the day, it's the council's responsibility to empty the bins, but then I have heard of people making them too heavy to be lifted. At the end of the day it's a personal dispute."

Peter Duckels, 35, of Selby, said: "It all seems a bit ridiculous to me. If it wouldn't come out then I suppose that's it. You can't force it, but then again you'd think it would thaw at some point so they could empty it then."