Jeremy Cor-bin v Plastic Fantastic: The man searching for the best bin in Congleton

ITV News' Paul Crone was taken on a tour of Congleton by the town's number one bin expert Andy Bailey.

A local "binfluencer" is asking the public to help him find his town's best bin - in a Top Trumps style tournament.

Andy Bailey has tracked down more than 80 bins across Congleton, Cheshire, and is now calling on the public to help decide on a favourite in the "Bins of Congleton World Cup".

Andy said: "I firmly believe these bins are real 'golden nuggets' - adding character, charm and a touch of humour to the town - giving Congleton a sense of 'place'."

Andy has been pitting bins against each other in a public vote. Credit: @bins_of_congleton

On his Instagram page, bins_of_congleton, Andy has pitted 32 bins against each other in a tournament where the winner is decided by a public vote.

To help locals make the tough decisions, Andy has provided a 25-point scoring system to determine the quality of the bin.

The Bins of Congleton scoring system:

  • Personality - Does the bin ooze character, style, and originality? Is it adding charm to the town?

  • Pristine - How well maintained, clean, and cared for is the bn? Is it welcoming and inviting to the user?

  • Placement - To what extent does the bin complement its environment? Is it 'the right bin in the right place'?

  • Popularity - Assessing the general regular usage of the bin and the demand placed upon it?

  • Performance - Measuring the bin's ability to fulfil its primary functions.

On a tour of his favourite bins across Congleton, Andy gave a live demonstration of his ranking system in action.

Andy with one of favourite's: Bin Kingsley

Stopping by one of his favourites, Bin-adict Cumberbatch, he said: "He’s in the last 16 of the World Cup. He scores highly, it’s well covered up so no rain water’s getting in."

Down the road, he spots another favourite; Bin Kingsley.

He said: "It exudes a certain gravitas, a certain nobility, hence the name... Unfortunately it didn't get into the last 16 of the competition."

But not all bins are created equal. On Congleton's high street Andy spots an eyesore.

Andy assessing a less-than-pristine bin.

He said: "It’s covered in vape tab stickers, so it’s not scoring highly on the pristine category. It’s not particularly in a great spot, so we say goodbye to this bin."

While hundreds look forward to voting each week to determine the best bin in Congleton, Andy admits the World Cup of waste disposal may be too niche for some.

He said: "A lot of people don’t get it, and I just say there’s not a lot to get! Don’t look too deeply, don’t try to find something that’s not there. It’s just bins!"

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