THOUSANDS of Huddersfield people will have to bag up their rubbish from next week.

A safety problem with some of the thousands of wheeled bins means that dustmen will have to empty them by hand.

And it could be weeks before the faulty bins are replaced.

Some 7,500 householders across Kirklees who have the smaller 180- litre wheeled bins are to be supplied with bin liners.

They will have to fill the bags and put them in the bins until the council resolves a potential health and safety problem with the bins being emptied mechanically.

Dustmen have found the small bins falling off the dustcarts as they are tipped to be emptied - posing a danger to crews.

Waste officials stressed there was no problem with the larger grey wheeled bins - used by about 140,000 households.

But from next week householders using the180-litre bins will be asked to put their rubbish in bags before placing the liners in the wheeled bins.

The bins should be wheeled out to the kerbside as normal where collection crews will lift the liners out for disposal and provide fresh ones for the following week.

Householders who need to use bin liners will be advised via a sticker that will be placed on the bins next week.

Steve Noble, Kirklees Council assistant Director of Environment and Transportation, said: "There have been a number of instances where the smaller bins have fallen off the lifting mechanism while being emptied.

"This is a health and safety danger to the collection crews and to the public, which we need to resolve with the manufacturers and suppliers.

"We are having urgent discussions with the manufacturers and suppliers to try to ensure as quickly as possible that we are supplied with bins that meet the standards required.

"We do apologise for the inconvenience this will cause to householders, and hope they will work with us to minimise that inconvenience.

"In addition to the 140,000-plus households with the larger bins being unaffected, can I also emphasise that the `green' recycling bins are also totally unaffected by this problem."

* Place your refuse in the bin liners provided

* When full place within the wheeled bin.

* Present your bin for collection on normal day.

* Only put bagged rubbish in the bin.

* Contact 01484 414700