A frail pensioner was told by council workers she would have to remove a heavy bag of waste from her garden herself – even though someone else dumped it there.

Patricia Mayberry, from Deal, was surprised to find the grass cuttings had been left on her property earlier this week.

But when the 78-year-old widow, who has no car and uses a walker to get around, asked Dover District Council (DDC) to remove it, she was told it is her responsibility.

She says a council employee even warned that if she moved it onto the pavement it would be fly-tipping.

Mrs Mayberry told KentOnline: “What upsets me is that I am having to take away someone else's rubbish. It has nothing to do with me.”

The grandmother had returned from shopping at 4pm on Tuesday to find the large bag of grass cuttings dumped by someone in her front garden.

The next day she rang DDC to request the waste be taken away.

“The official on the phone said it was my responsibility to remove it,” Mrs Mayberry said.

“I was told once it’s in my garden, that’s it. They said if I put it out on the pavement I would be fly-tipping.

“I have a bag of grass that doesn’t belong to me. I am also angry that nobody is taking any notice.”

Our reporter was able to weigh the bag and found it to be 1st. Mrs Mayberry is just 7st and is 4ft 11in.

She is afraid to walk without an aid, sometimes using two walking sticks, for fear of losing her balance.

She was traumatised by a fall down the stairs in her home three years ago when she suffered a head injury and broke a rib.

The nearest Kent County Council household waste recycling centre to her is 1.3 miles away in Southwall Road, Deal.

Mrs Mayberry added: “I have no transport to take it away. My daughter and granddaughter share a car.

“Why should they come all the way here to do it and use up their petrol and time?”

Our reporter took the bag away in his car as he has a booking at the tip in Whitfield this weekend.

DDC contractors can collect waste from households – but for garden waste the cost is £58 a year.

A spokesman said: “We do understand the difficulties here, but unfortunately, the removal of waste that is fly-tipped on private property is the responsibility of the land owner.

“DDC does operate a paid-for garden waste collection service, which costs £58 a year for a 25 alternate week service.

“There are a number of licensed private waste carriers who can remove garden waste.”