AFTER Jackie Browne asked the local authority to remove two old bicycles and a broken bed, she could not understand it when the items were still standing by the bins outside her flat.

But when she discovered her son's £400 mountain bike was missing from her garden, the reality of what had happened suddenly dawned on her.

The council had taken away the wrong item.

Jackie and her 22-year-old son Mark are threatening to go to court because officials from Test Valley Borough Council refuse to pay for a new bike.

However, it emerged today that the council is prepared to give Mark a like-for-like cycle.

Jackie, of Willis Avenue, North Baddesley, said: "When I called the council I said to go right round the back in the courtyard where the dustbins are and there are two old push-bikes and a double bed. But they came into my garden and took my son's bike worth £400.

"At first we thought it had been stolen, until we realised the rubbish I asked them to take was still there. I phoned the council and they said they did collect a bike. How could they mistake one really good bike for two tatty old green bikes?"

She added: "Mark needs his bike for work. They've said they will look around for a second-hand bike to replace it but that's not good enough. Although it was two years old, it was a really good bike."

Jackie no longer has a receipt for the bike but has sent the council a picture and a price from Halford's.

Test Valley spokeswoman Christine Brown said the bike had been with the other items that were left out for collection.

She said: "Obviously we deal with taxpayers' money so we do need some form of proof of purchase. However, the initial offer to replace the bike was not conditional on production of a receipt, and the offer still stands to replace the bike with something of comparable age and type.

"If Mrs Browne feels her complaint has not been properly dealt with, we do have an official complaints procedure."