MONTHLY clinical waste collections were axed by the council weeks before yellow bags were mysteriously dumped in Old Town.

Swindon Borough Council, which moved swiftly to remove the nine sacks left on Prospect Place last month, is understood to still be investigating the incident.

But Grange Park man George Bradfield said he could understand how the waste may have been left by the road.

The 66-year-old diabetic, whose spent insulin syringes are disposed of by the council, said he had received a letter from the council last month saying his monthly clinical waste collection was being cancelled.

Instead, he would have to call a borough council hotline or visit the town centre offices to arrange for his small clinical waste bin to be emptied.

“They cancelled the monthly collection times just like that,” said George. “If anyone had a monthly collection, they had bin bags left, they were an elderly person and they received a similar letter, I can understand why they would dump the waste.”

He stressed he was not trying to excuse the person responsible for the dumped waste. But he questioned the council’s logic in stopping the monthly service. Now, he is often forced to wait for up to 25 minutes on a council hotline trying to arrange for the waste to be picked up.

“They can totally forget to pick the waste up,” George added. “I have often put it out on a Wednesday and it doesn’t get picked up.”

Last month, parish councillor Toby Robson stumbled across more than half a dozen clinical waste bags left on Prospect Place, Old Town. They contained empty intravenous drip bags and what appeared to be human blood pooling in the waste sacks.

A council spokesman said: “The monthly clinical waste collections were changed because not enough residents were taking up the service. Residents still have the opportunity to take advantage of this free service on a weekly or fortnightly basis. Alternatively, they can book an individual collection if necessary. Customers will soon be able to book online.”