WE bought our house in Stourport some years ago and from day one our small garden has produced much surplus growth from its beautiful, if prolific, shrubs and hedges.

For many years it has been necessary to cart away garden waste to one of our council tips, a chore we have coped with , until now.

We always knew our area was a smokeless zone, with rule number one - no garden fires.

We are aware that a limit of one bag of garden waste is permitted in a wheelie bin (rule number two).

But on my most recent visit to our local tip I was informed of a previously unknown regulation.

After years of successfully carrying garden waste in plastic bins, I am now told by waste site staff that this practice is not allowed and that waste can only be taken to the site in plastic bags.

This, then, must be yet another rule - number three.

I have not yet received an explanation for this latest ruling. However, our bins are totally re-useable, so environmentally friendly.

Whatever is going on?

Are rules now being made just to make life difficult?

What harm are my plastic bins doing?

More importantly, what should we do with our garden waste?

D ARMSTRONG

Stourport