HUNDREDS of people have signed a petition calling on Herefordshire Council to reinstate a binman who destroyed a three-year-old boy's snowman.

The petition, which was launched by Tsvetan Tsvetkov on Change.org on January 28, had garnered more than 500 signatures by Friday lunchtime.

Although it is directed at Herefordshire Council the binman was actually employed by an agency.

A statment from Herefordshire Council said: "We understand the interest in the recent news coverage.

"We are unable to comment as the person was employed by our waste contractor, who are handling the matter in accordance with their HR policies."

In an earlier statement released yesterday, the council said: "The employee was a member of agency staff working on behalf of one of the council’s contractors, and he has been informed that he will not be used again.

"Information has also been circulated to all agency employees outlining the professional standards they are expected to uphold when representing a Herefordshire Council contractor.”

The binman was caught on CCTV delivering a roundhouse kick to three-year-old Joseph Taylor's snowman in Hampton Rise, Hereford, on January 26.

He then kicked the snowman several more times, causing damage that left Joseph in tears.

The video went viral after Joseph's mum, Sophie Taylor, posted it on social media.

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Writing on Change.org, Mr Tsvetkov said: "A binman from Hereford kicked a snowman that was already melting anyway and after a video of it went viral he got sacked.

"Really!? The guy worked throughout the whole pandemic, risking his own wellbeing and that's what he gets?!

"And for what, a pile of snow.. grow up and give the man his job back!

"Might be you next, if you step in a puddle that might be that snowman's passed cousin and you're sacked!

"No income in times like this, shame on you!"

The petition has also received dozens of supportive comments.

Helen Brown wrote: "It's just ridiculous to sack someone over this. Apology letter, maybe."

And Laura Middlemiss wrote: "I agree it was a childish thing to do , repeatedly kick down a snowman a child MAY have been upset about, but unless the man had previous issues regarding his behaviour sacking him is way way too overboard."