'Save the planet'

The council has recently adopted black wheelie bins for rubbish, blue bins for recycling waste and a separate box for glass.

After getting a red warning ticket on his unemptied recycling bin, Mr Woodward's daughter contacted Norwich City Council.

Ms Marshall said: "I know rules are rules, but surely someone could have had the decency to knock on the door and explain to him what he had done wrong.

"The council said we have to save the planet and I told them he served five years in World War II as a Desert Rat and he has done his bit for the planet.

"Its bad enough him having to take the bin out without him having to bring it back in again with the rubbish still inside it."

Mr Woodward said: "I don't have a lot of stuff to throw out anyway. In a couple of weeks I wouldn't fill a bin up."

A council spokesman said: "If anyone in the city needs advice, our team is more than happy to make home visits to offer help."