COUNCIL binmen have been disciplined after a bin vanished from a driveway following an altercation with a homeowner, who captured the entire incident on CCTV.

The video, filmed on January 10, shows the homeowner reverse his car out of the drive way in Warneford Close, Toothill, seconds before a bin lorry makes its way up the street.

After a brief pause while the car manoeuvres out of the way, the bin men empty the homeowner’s bin and drive off up the street. But a binman is captured walking back over to the driveway and inexplicably wheels the bin away for a second time, as a bemused neighbour watches on.

The homeowner said he believed the bin man became annoyed after he beeped his horn to alert the bin lorry of his presence. He has since been given a new bin by the council who have also disciplined the crew.

“My wife was asking, where’s the bin? When I saw the CCTV I couldn’t believe it. It’s ridiculous that a council employed binman did such a thing, I guess to get their own back on me,” he said.

“I know they do a good job, but I want an apology from them. I don’t understand why they would be angry with me. It just seems very petty and I want answers

“I was only beeping the lorry to stop it backing into me. I can’t believe it happened. It’s very annoying

“Why did this happen in the first place. It’s a waste of tax payer’s money having to buy a new bin.”

Swindon Borough Council said the bin was accidentally destroyed during a second attempt to clear it totally of rubbish.

A council spokesman said: “Despite the video evidence, the circumstances surrounding the homeowner’s missing bin are less than straightforward.

“The bin was initially emptied as shown by the footage but, unfortunately, not all the contents were emptied into the lorry. This could have been caused by waste within the bin becoming wedged or the lid not opening far enough.

“The crew member emptying the bin was going to leave it half empty as a result of the incident with the homeowner.

"However, his colleague volunteered to go back and ensure the bin was emptied properly as can be seen from the video.

“What the pictures do not show is the homeowner’s bin being emptied for a second time and his bin inadvertently ending up in the back of our lorry, which does happen on occasions.

“We apologised to the homeowner for the loss of his bin and visited him the next day to give him a replacement.”