A METAL drum that villagers feared contained toxic waste has finally been removed after two months of frustrated pleas.

Anthony Clements of Lower Lane, Rangeworthy, contacted South Gloucestershire Council about the drum back in November and despite persistent complaints, nothing was done.

However, within four hours of the Gazette contacting the council, notice was given that the container would be taken away.

The 205-litre drum had been dumped in a ditch on the crossroads between Firing Close Lane and New Road, Rangeworthy.

Mr Clements and wife Sylvia had to walk past the eyesore every day while walking their dog Dudley.

Yet, despite persistent telephone calls to council department Streetcare, Mr Clements claims he received no assurance that the drum would be removed.

In a heated phone call to the Gazette he said he was at the end of his tether.

"All they do is log your call and say they will see to it, but nothing gets done."

He also voiced his concern about the content of the container, which had been leaking a black liquid for some time.

Mr Clements said: "It could have been filled with anything, nuclear waste, toxic waste, you just don't know.

"Whatever it was it didn't look wholesome."

In his frustration, Mr Clements also wrote to parish councillor Howard Gawler but says even he could not resolve the situation.

Mr Clements added: "I wrote the letter weeks ago and when I saw Mr Gawler he said he had been to see the drum himself, yet still nothing was done about it. It even seems that they don't take notice of our councillors."

Cllr Gawler told the Gazette that while nothing had been done immediately, he did received assurance that the matter was being looked into.

He said: "I did contact South Gloucestershire Council before Christmas and they told me they could not move the drum until a chemist had been along to assess what was in it."

However, Mr Clements told the Gazette he was puzzled by the delay.

"In these days of political correctness when you can't break wind without putting up a sign it is surprising nothing had been done. We are just wondering why they just didn't pick it up and why nothing was done sooner," he added.

After a brief phone call to the South Gloucestershire Council press office on Tuesday the Gazette was informed the drum would be removed later that same day.

Asked why there was such a prompt response to an otherwise drawn out issue a spokeswoman for the council said: "The contents of the drum had to be analysed before it could be removed and therefore, could not be removed straight away. We receive hundreds of calls each week and there was a delay in initiating the removal of the drum to a suitably authorised disposal site."

Mr Clements thanked the Gazette for its intervention. He said: "It just goes to show the power of the press."