London, July 4 (ANI): In what may be dubbed a bizarre obsession with exactness, binmen in England declined to empty a wheelie bin because a homeowner alleged it was three inches out of its required position.

Lorry driver Rob Owens put his bin on a patch of grass for collection at the end of a path leading to his home, since he was to be away for some time, and did not want to obstruct the path.

The 49-year-old, living in Worcester, saw that the bin had been left unemptied because the binmen refused to pick it after noticing it was three inches out of place to the right and not squarely on the path.

"I phoned the council and they told me it was because I'd left it in the wrong place," the Telegraph quoted him as saying.

"I just couldn't believe it. You would literally have to put your arm out a couple of inches to reach it. They're even on wheels. It's absolutely outrageous," he added.

A spokeswoman for Worcester City Council said: "We unreservedly apologise to Mr Owens and Miss Milner for this inconvenience. Management will be taking steps to ensure this never happens again. It is certainly not council policy to refuse to collect a bin because it is not in the exact right position."

She added: "We have now gone back to empty all the refuse, and hope the matter is now resolved." (ANI)