A MAN has criticised East Devon District Council after claiming a recycling box was thrown from a collecting lorry into the path of his car.

Oli Moore, 27, was following the lorry on the A376 through Lympstone on February 25 when the alleged incident took place.

In response, EDDC have said that the box fell out of the lorry accidentally, and was recovered by the crew.

An EDDC spokesman said: “SITA UK, the contractor that collects recycling and refuse for us, has looked into this matter and found that the box was not thrown from the vehicle as all the crew were in the cab. SITA states that boxes falling from a vehicle is not acceptable and the crew have been spoken to about ensuring their load is safe when they pull away.”

Mr Moore, a new business consultant from Exeter, said he was driving behind the recycling lorry on his way to work in Exmouth when, as the lorry pulled away following a collection, he saw the box being thrown from the back of the lorry into the road.

Father-of-one Mr Moore said: “The box was thrown out, I know due to its trajectory. There was a clear attempt to return it to the pavement which failed and it then bounced on the road by the kerb and into my path. It eventually landed a foot from the central white line on the road.

“Maybe he’d realised he was meant to leave it and couldn’t be bothered to take it back.”

Mr Moore also says he witnessed a collector drop-kicking a bin up a driveway, and he has made a formal complaint to EDDC.

He said: “I am surprised at the council’s response to this and the distinct lack of thought to the safety of the Devon public and commuters.”