BINMEN will pick up bulky flood damaged items from homes in Southend for free this week.

Southend Council has extended an emergency collection scheme launched after flash floods hit the town until Friday after Kursaal councillor Judith McMahon feared residents in her ward may have missed it.

Tony Cox, councillor responsible for waste, said: “We don’t want anyone to miss out on the opportunity of having flood-damaged items collected – especially if their collection day was late last week.

“I know councillor McMahon raised the issue of her own ward, whose collection was Thursday and may not have been aware of the offer.”

The scheme, in which residents can put out large, damaged items on their weekly bin day, was due to end tomorrow.

It was only advertised on the council’s website last Wednesday and in the media on Thursday, which was the day bins were collected in Kursaal, and was due to end before the ward’s next bin day this Thursday.

Ms McMahon said: “A lot of people in Kursaal don’t have the internet and newspaper readership here is lower than the rest of town.

“So, if the message hasn’t got to those many individuals in the ward I serve who have lost so much, they certainly won’t benefit from this initiative. They have no income for contents insurance, some are struggling to pay ‘bedroom tax’ and there is nowhere for them to downsize to.

“They have lost what little they have left to water and have, in some cases, been asked to make payment to get the items that are ruined out of the home.”

The free collection will run until Friday, but residents are asked to book by tomorrow, if possible, by calling 01702 215006.