Community volunteers today said they were furious when they could not complete a major clean-up because Bradford Council workmen failed to show.

Elizabeth Hellmich organised the day at Scotchman Road playing fields in Heaton, assisted by the SAFE Project and Bradford West Area Co-ordinator's Office.

Members of Heaton Juniors football teams turned out to clean rubbish off the field, along with residents of all ages.

But Council cleansing staff who were to bring a truck, gloves, litter pickers and bags did not arrive. "We've been trying to get this clean-up done for about three years," said Mrs Hellmich.

"I'm so angry that the Council didn't turn up and no-one rang us to let us know they wouldn't be there."

Mrs Hellmich said they did as much as they could but it was difficult without the equipment.

"The children started off just picking up things like plastic bottles and other small items but we decided it wasn't safe for them without the gloves and litter pickers so they had to stop.

"The rest of us had to go home and raid our kitchen cupboards for bags and gloves."

The volunteers piled up mounds of rubbish, including old prams, gates and fences and hoped the Council would remove it. But the bags were left and Mrs Hellmich said the next day they had been strewn across the field.

She said people living nearby did their best but they were disappointed that their opportunity for a tidy-up had been spoiled.

"Several of us who go down there to walk dogs, pick stuff up and bring it home to throw away but this was our chance to get rid of the big things and have a really good clean-up."

Mrs Hellmich contacted the Council and was told they had not attended as they had been waiting to hear from organisers.

But she said an e-mail had been sent to the Council which meant they would contact her.

The Council has now agreed to come to the site tomorrow to clean up.

"I will wait and see what happens," Mrs Hellmich said.

"I am glad it's been resolved but it does not get rid of the fact that there were a lot of people willing to help, children in particular, and they could not do anything." A spokesman for Bradford Council said a provisional arrangement had been made but it was never confirmed, so no-one attended.

"A truck is now coming on Wednesday to pick up the rubbish," he said. Mrs Hellmich is pictured with fellow clean-up volunteer Fran Lozana beside the mountain of rubbish they were unable to move.