Mystery surrounds the fate of a Telford company set up to ease householders’ concerns over the introduction of fortnightly bin collections.

Telford Waste was started in 2004 in response to Telford & Wrekin Council’s adoption of fortnightly waste collections. The company offered to collect customers’ wheelie bins in intervening weeks at a cost of about £4 per week. It was one of the first companies of its kind set up nationwide.

But the company no longer appears to be in operation.

A recorded message on the Telford Waste phone number states: “This is a message to advise you Telford Waste is no longer existed (sic).

“If Telford Waste owes you more than £20 and only £20 then please leave your name, address, telephone number and details. We will get back to you.”

One Wellington-based customer, who did not wish to be named, said today: “My bin wasn’t collected the last time they were due.

“I might be owed only £20 but I’m worried for anybody who pays by direct debit as they might not realise they have folded. I doubt I will get my money back.”

The firm was started in 2004 by Telford mother-of-two Mandy Gregory, her husband Gordon and her father Geoff.

At one time she had hundreds of households on her books.

She claimed to be recycling 80 per cent of the rubbish Telford Waste collected – compared with the council’s record of only 14 per cent.

Fears had been raised that the firm could face legal action being taken against it by Telford & Wrekin Council for lifting bins belonging to the authority.

In 2004 the council said the scheme would defeat the object of its recycling plan and the council was looking at its legality.

But in a statement today, the council said: “We have not at any stage taken any action against this company who have been trading for a few years now.

“We have no information about the firm closing down.”

Telford skip hire firm Pink Skips confirmed today it was no longer doing business with Telford Waste.

A spokesman said: “We stopped dealing with Telford Waste about six months ago.”

By Tom Johannsen