A LYE resident has shared video footage of a woman rifling through bins in the town to highlight the ongoing problem.

Reports of members of the town's Romanian community going through bins have been made by residents and traders at various community meetings over the last 12 months or so - and a fed-up resident has now taken to social media to share footage of a woman rummaging in communal waste bins outside flats off Union Street.

A senior Dudley Council cabinet member said the authority was "not aware of anyone going through litter bins".

But resident Eddie Green says it has been a daily occurrence since he moved in to the area around 18 months ago - and he reported the latest incident to Dudley Council Plus but was told to contact the police.

He said: "This happens every day now. I'm getting sick of it.

"I confront them a lot; some run off, some give me abuse. They leave rubbish strewn all over the floor - it's a health hazard.

"I am more frightened of identity theft as they can get documents from the bin.

"I am sick of looking out my kitchen window and seeing these people in the bins and having to explain to my kids why they are doing it without creating prejudice."

He said of the footage which was posted on June 1: "This is the fourth time the Romanians have been in the bins today.

"This one was quite tidy as I was filming her but they normally stay longer and leave the rubbish everywhere."

He also posted a picture of clothing left lying on a grass verge and said: "I witnessed two Romanian lads drag this out the bins, rummage through it and leave it strewn all over the grass."

According to the police - it is considered theft to take rubbish from someone else's bin but once waste is placed in a wheelie bin it technically belongs to the council.

Councillor Karen Shakespeare, Dudley Council's cabinet member for environmental, highways and street services, said: “We are not aware of anyone going through litter bins and have not had any reports through council channels.

"We have recently received reports about fly tipping which have been reported to our street care and green care teams for clean-up and would encourage people to report any such incidents to Dudley Council Plus on 0300 555 2345 or dudleycouncilplus@dudley.gov.uk."

Lye councillor Pete Lowe said he and his fellow ward councillors "continue to report every incident that comes through" and he added: "We need to continue to do all we can to bring back pride in Lye."

Dudley's cabinet member for housing, communities and residents’ welfare, councillor Laura Taylor, added: “We hold regular community cohesion, health and engagement group meeting meetings which are made up of representatives from the council, elected members and the police which addresses concerns raised within the community.

"Anyone who reports issues to the council, their councillor or the police will have their issue discussed and addressed here which is why we encourage people to report concerns through official channels such as Dudley Council Plus, the council app or via their councillor.

“People can also contribute to improving their community through our community forums."

The next community forum for the Lye and Wollescote areas (which also covers Amblecote, Cradley and parts of Stourbridge) will be held on Wednesday June 19 at Cradley Baptist Church.