Overflowing bins at a picturesque seaside spot have gone unemptied for more than a month, with one resident describing the area as an “absolute pigsty”.

Images show rubbish piled high in Priory Gardens, Folkestone, as neighbours face a “massive rat problem” and “horrific stench”.

Louis Tomlinson has lived in the street above the Road of Remembrance for more than 10 years and says the mess has left neighbours questioning why no action has been taken.

Despite filing an official complaint with Veolia, the waste management provider for the area, and Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC), the 32-year-old says he has yet to receive any response.

“The bins haven’t been emptied for more than a month, and this mess is only getting worse. It’s disgusting,” Mr Tomlinson said.

“No one is taking responsibility. I’m being ignored left, right, and centre by the council and Veolia.

“We’ve got a massive rat problem because of this as well now, and birds are ripping the bin bags to pieces.

“It’s just an absolute pigsty!”

Mr Tomlinson, who works for a technology company, says the issue first started in August.

Since then, he claims the bins have only been emptied once.

He also believes the closure of the Road of Remembrance has had an impact on the amount of waste left near his property.

The historic road has been shut since January following two landslips and is not expected to reopen until August 2025.

“Since the closure, we are getting a lot more footfall down here,” he added.

“Pedestrians are just dumping their rubbish in our bins. There are toasters and kettles. It’s just getting worse and worse.

“You’ve got a beautiful view from Priory Gardens, and it has been absolutely ruined by this mess.

“What I find just hilarious is you’ve got million-pound flats down at the seafront, and if you stand there, you can see all of the bins and the absolute squalor.”

Mr Tomlinson is now calling for all the bins to be removed and replaced with “larger and more secure” ones.

He believes this would deter pedestrians from dumping their waste and help address the growing rat problem.

“We need all of these bins to be taken away and replaced with bigger ones,” he added.

“Luckily, it’s colder now, so the stink isn’t kicking up as much. But in the summer, the smell was horrendous.

“We should not have to live like this.”

A spokesman for FHDC said the authority is “very open to working with the landlords and residents at Priory Gardens to improve the storage of their waste”.

“The narrow road access to Priory Gardens means the bins cannot be serviced by a standard vehicle,” they said.

“The access and the limited space available mean the storage of waste has always been difficult at this location.

“Recent changes introduced a recycling round each fortnight similar to the rest of the district.

“Veolia has continued to regularly service the bins and collect any waste that has been bagged and correctly presented depending on the round week.

“Unfortunately, this has been limited – resulting in a general build-up of refuse in and around the bins, preventing them from being emptied during routine rounds.

“To safeguard public health, we have arranged ad-hoc clearances of the land where the bins are stored but this cannot continue indefinitely.

“We remain confident that, with the co-operation of Priory Garden residents and their landlords, a resolution can be found.”

A spokesperson for Veolia added: “Together with our partner, Folkestone & Hythe District Council, we are committed to delivering regular and reliable recycling and waste collections for residents.

“In Priory Gardens, recycling and waste collections take place on alternate weeks by a dedicated vehicle able to access the narrow street.

“Our teams can only collect bags that have been presented outside of residents’ storage bins because the vehicle does not have a bin lift.

“We will continue to engage with residents and are keen to support the correct use of services and ensure that arrangements are working for the community. This will include monitoring of the next scheduled collection to verify that all correctly presented materials are cleared.”