Three black litter bins have left town bosses feeling blue.

The large plastic bins perched on paving slabs have been installed in Sheerness by Swale council. But their arrival has upset retired businessman Brian Spoor.

Mr Spoor, vice-chairman of the Sheerness Town Team, said: "They appear to have just been dumped on the pavement without any thought.

“They have been left on paving slabs which rock and can be moved around fairly easily.

“This is not the standard we expect in Sheerness. It looks like it has been bodged.”

Two of the bins have been left at the far end of the High Street near the former Crown pub and two of the town’s existing blue bins.

Mr Spoor said: “The Sheerness corporate colour is blue. I don’t understand why we have been given black bins which are totally out of keeping with the rest of the street furniture such as lampposts, seats and railings.”

A spokesman for Swale council said: “The new bins are part of a trial funded by Kent County Council to encourage recycling in town centres.

"They have two receptacles: one for general litter and one for recycling, making it easy for people to get rid of their rubbish responsibly when they are out and about.

“As the bins are part of a trial, they have not been permanently bolted in place.

“Instead, they have been temporarily secured using paving slabs while we measure public response to the bins and their current locations.

“Once the trial is complete, we will use feedback from the public to determine where the bins should be permanently located.

“The design of the bins was agreed by Maidstone and Swale councils, which are both participating in the same trial.”