BINS outside a restaurant in Northgate are giving off an "evil" smell, office workers say.

One said the bins smell like "someone has stirred up hell".

A refuse collector was even spotted vomiting after clearing the rubbish.

The Northern Echo understands rotting, bloody animal carcasses have been left in the bins by a restaurant in Northgate.

Darlington Borough Council yesterday hired an outside firm to remove the waste - as their own bin men are not legally allowed to.

The restaurant responsible will be charged for the specialists' time.

Paul Littleton works at BiB insurance brokers, based at Valley Street North, behind Northgate.

He said yesterday: "We have this smell every summer when the bins are left in the sun.

"It's been a warm day today, but we have had to keep the doors and windows shut because of the smell. We complain every year, but nothing seems to be done.

"Everyone in the street is annoyed about it. When they do clear the bins, it's like someone has stirred up hell.

"A few weeks ago we saw one bin man throw up after he opened the lid. Environmental health should look into it.

"The smell is evil. If you go outside, it's terrible."

A Darlington Borough Council spokesman said: "We have received several complaints about the smell coming from an area of Northgate.

"Our Street Scene teams are not licensed to carry the kind of material found close to a food business there, but our environmental health officers responded to the complaints by serving a legal notice on the owner requiring the situation to be dealt with.

"As it was not, the council has arranged for a specialist company to take the waste away and the cost of this will be charged to the business."