A "MOUNTAIN of rubbish" has been left outside a row of shops for more than three weeks, despite residents asking the council to get it removed.

Bags of waste behind shops in the Uxbridge Road, West Ealing, have been piling up because shop owners say Ealing Council's rubbish collectors have failed to pick it up.

Owner of Goldmine Jewellers Graham Weston said he had rung the council "numerous times" and despite being given promises that the unsightly mess would be removed, it is still there three weeks on.

But the council said the mess was not as a result of missed collections but fly-tipping.

Mr Weston said: "It is all right for people in the town hall who don't have to see it, but for people who live above the shops it is unbearable.

"We have had problems with Ealing Council before but this time they don't seem to be taking any notice.

"I don't know what they are doing. We all have to drive down there and it is the access to the rear of the flats.

"It is a health risk, a fire risk, and absolutely disgusting."

Weekly rubbish collection in the area just off Leyland Road has been continuing, but because the mess does not fall under the parameters of "domestic waste", contractors have not removed it.

"I am really angry," said Mr Weston. "The pile keeps getting bigger and bigger."

Spokesman for Ealing Council Moira Mercer said: "We would apologise that it has not been removed sooner.

"This is a known fly-tip site. Our envirocrime officers are investigating possible evidence of fly-tipping and will take action if they can."

Cleaning up streets is one of the council's top priorities and was one of their key manifesto pledges when they came to power in May last year.

In June, 2006, the leadership promised they would remove fly-tipped rubbish from publicly-owned land within 24 hours, boasting the new service would make Ealing "Queen of the Suburbs".

And despite occuring on private land, the leadership has in the past insisted it would remove rubbish found on land not publicly owned.

But Mr Weston said: "They are just not doing their jobs. I am paying my taxes and I want some action."