The wheels on a Suffolk council’s specialist refuse lorry were stolen over the festive period, causing a delay to some collections.

The wheels on a specialist refuse lorry were stolen over the festive period causing bins to pile up on some streets in Suffolk over the new year.

Workers arrived at their depot in Chilton, Sudbury in the early morning of New Year's Eve to find that the wheels on Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council's narrow access vehicle had been stolen.

Due to the theft, those living along narrow streets in the two districts went without a collection on New Year's Eve.

The councils now say that have now collected all the bins missed in Babergh and all those in Mid Suffolk should be collected soon.

A Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council spokesperson said: "The wheels very rarely come off our services, but even when they do, it doesn't stop us for long.

"The vehicle was fixed and back on the road within hours.

"We've now caught up with the collections missed in Babergh as a result of the theft and will soon be back up to speed in Mid Suffolk too.

"Suffolk Police are investigating and we would urge anyone with any information to come forward as by targeting a service funded by council tax payers, these thieves are actually stealing from our residents."

A spokeswoman from Suffolk Constabulary said: "We were made aware of missing tyres from a lorry parked in depot yard in Alexandra Road, Sudbury at 5.30am on December 31.

"Accessed was gained to the yard through a mesh fence between 5pm, December 30 and 5am, December 31.

"Any one who saw anything suspicious in the area is asked to contact the police on 101 quoting reference number 37/78315/19."