Shop owners and residents are furious after rubbish has again been left strewn across the high street.

People living and trading on Northdown Road in Cliftonville say they face the issue every week, as there is nowhere to store bins.

Instead, black bags packed with waste are left out on the road once a week to be collected - making for an enticing offer for seagulls.

Spencer Hickman, of Transmission Record Shop, says this is a weekly issue which has been especially bad recently.

He said: "This happens every week as residents are asked to put their rubbish out before 6am on a Monday morning, but obviously most folks throw theirs out on Sunday evening.

"The council does not provide residents with strong black bags so I assume most people use cheap ones from the pound shop.

"If you think about how many flats are on Northdown Road it is no wonder the seagulls have an effect every week, and it is no wonder the area is overrun with mice."

The council has come under fire from shop owners and those living on the street.

Mr Hickman added: "Apart from the carnage on the street, which for the last three weeks has been particularly bad, it is outrageous that the council expects us to keep our rubbish inside out house for a full week as there is no where for bins to be stored.

"The council ignores any complaints and the poor street cleaners have an uphill struggle every Monday.

"There has to be a way to manage this better."

Another shop owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, says the road has gone from "bad to worse" in the three years she has lived in Cliftonville.

She started Filthy Thanet on Twitter to highlight issues.

"I started Filthy Thanet because like all residents here, I was sick to death waking up in the morning to see nappies and plastic waste strewn across the road," she said.

"Northdown Road still has no recycling amenities for the residents. There's Trinity Square, but that's tiny and doesn't do plastic or tin.

"The residents pay the same tax as everyone else, but they have to be responsible for their own recycling.

"Plus there are no black bins for residents to use. Hence why these bins are strewn everywhere by seagulls, rats, foxes and the wind.

"It's an absolute violation of public health and safety.

"What about all those poor food businesses along there? All this attracts vermin.

"It's an utter disgrace and an outrage that this is permitted.

"We need more bins, more education, more street cleaners, more find.

"Whitstable can handle it. Ramsgate and Broadstairs do not look like this so why does Margate?"

Thanet District Council says they were "appalled at the state of the road" and will be reminding residents of their responsibilities.

A spokesman said: "The disregard shown for their environment by a minority of residents and businesses is not acceptable - and the council will be taking action.

"The residential properties along the this stretch of road do not have the physical capacity to store our plastic bins, and have all been provided with 'seagull proof bags' to put their waste in.

"Failure to do this, combined with some businesses feeling that the pavement is an acceptable place to put their commercial waste, has resulted in the large amount of litter seen on Monday morning.

"The council will be contacting all the residential properties along Northdown Road to remind them of their responsibilities when putting out their rubbish and the action they could face, should they fail to do so correctly.

"We will also be visiting the businesses in the area to inspect their waste storage and collection arrangements.

"Where these fail to meet the required standards businesses will be issued with a penalty notice or charged under the environmental protection action 1990. "