The impact of the Covid-19 lockdown is beginning to show its strain on essential services as pictures show bins overflowing with rubbish.

Rochford Council has constantly tussled with household waste collections throughout lockdown, with several streets missing out in April.

Now public bins are now full to the brim with waste.

Southend Council is also struggling to contain the amount of litter dumped in parks.

Chalkwell Park, in Westcliff, was left strewn with rubbish by inconsiderate people over the weekend.

Pictures reveal the scale of the problem, with families enjoying the recent sunshine before leaving their rubbish in the park.

Household waste has also been left next to the bin near the Sweyne Park School, in Rayleigh.

With the lockdown guidelines easing across the country, Southend Council has urged visitors and residents to use their bins properly.

This comes as bosses have said those enjoying picnics in the town’s parks and on the beaches are not disposing of their waste, and leaving bags of rubbish next to bins.

Southend Council has also urged seafront visitors to take their waste home with them.

According to bosses at Rochford Council, there has been a huge increase in the amount of waste being put into public bins, with those in charge also admitting the council is struggling to cope with the lack of staff to deal with the rubbish.

James Newport, Lib Dem councillor for Downhall and Rawreth, has urged for action to be taken, saying: “It’s a capacity problem. People are using our outside spaces more than ever at the moment, but I think some of the waste is coming from homes.

“It’s a common sense issue. If you have rubbish, and you can see the bins are full, please don’t just leave it by the bins.

“I know the council are working hard to increase the capacity so the bins can be emptied.”

A spokesman for Rochford Council confirmed officers visited the site over the weekend, and the council is working on “emptying the backlog of bins that need emptying”.

Carole Mulroney, Southend councillor responsible for environment and planning, added: “We have seen many examples of people just leaving their rubbish strewn on the ground where they have been sitting or bagged rubbish by a full bin.

“There is no excuse for leaving your empty bottles lying about, so please be responsible.”