BIN crews in Dukinfield had a special little assistant on their round as two-year-old Teddy joined them for a morning of big truck fun.
The toddler loves watching the bin lorry come to his home every week and he’s finally got to meet his heroes.
He had an opportunity to help wheel bins to the truck and even took the driver’s seat for a moment of joy behind the wheel.
The crew members – driver Ian Bayley, Kevin Rogers and Tom Ashcroft – also gave him a toy recycling truck as a souvenir.
Seeing the brown bin recycling crew every Thursday morning is the highlight of Teddy’s week, so his mum Pam Speakes got in touch with Tameside Council to ask if her son could meet the crew.
Pam, a school catering manager from Ashton-under-Lyne, said: “He is always so excited to see them and they always wave and smile at him and the driver has also even gone to the trouble of jumping out of the cab and running over to Teddy to fist-bump with him and hi-five.
“I just think it’s really lovely of them. They work so hard but they always still have a smile and wave and a little bit of effort goes a long way.
“My little man is obsessed with them! They are his heroes and I just wanted the chance to say thank you to them for everything they do.”
Councillor Laura Boyle, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Environmental Services and Neighbourhoods, said: “It’s always so heartwarming to hear how our crews make a difference in the local community and I’m sure that smiles and waves from Teddy helps to make their day just as much as they make his.
“They are a fantastic bunch and it’s lovely for them to get some recognition for their community spirit as well as their hard work.
“Well done team and thank you also to Pam for contacting us to compliment them and highlight their good work.
“And you never know, perhaps they are helping us to recruit our team of the future too – it looks like Teddy enjoyed his chance to be a mini bin man with them!”