, crossing the finish line in Tunisia after 352 days.

However, residents told BBC Radio Northampton at the weekend they had been turned away as the bins at one site were full, while another said she drove to three different sites and all were closed.In a statement, the council said "temporary closures occur when queues impact nearby roads, a standard practice to ensure traffic flows safely" and that it appreciated people's patience.

It said: "We acknowledge the recent concerns about the waste disposal sites across West Northants."As of 1 April, FCC has been re-awarded the contract, and the sites are now open seven days a week with extended operational hours of 42 hours per week."This change aims to better distribute visitor numbers and reduce peak-time congestion."

It added: "We appreciate the community's patience and understanding during this busy time of year and remain committed to providing the best possible service."Meanwhile FCC Environment, which manages the sites, said it had seen a "steep rise in the number of people visiting our household waste recycling centres" over the past month.

It said queuing traffic was a danger to other road users and it "made the difficult decision to temporarily close four of the sites we operate".

"To help alleviate these pressures we are bringing in extra resources to deal with the increase in waste volumes we are seeing, and to ensure that our sites continue to operate safely for the general public and our staff."The materials recovery facility (MRF) will allow kerbside collections of waste such as glass and plastic trays, Hampshire County Council said.

The authority, which is sharing the cost with councils in Portsmouth and Southampton, has allocated up to £50.5m.The plant is due to open on council land off Chickenhall Lane, Eastleigh, by the end of 2027.

Hampshire's two existing MRFs in Alton and Portsmouth cannot process the full range of items prescribed by the government, councillors were told.The new plant would allow glass, plastic pots, plastic trays and cartons to be placed in home recycling bins for the first time.