Binman thankful after his stint in Indonesia

A BINMAN who swapped his patch in west London for Indonesia told today how the experience made him "thankful for what he's got".

Wilbur Ramirez, 43, took over the round of dustman and street-sweeper Imam Syaffi in the capital Jakarta for a BBC documentary.

Imam lives with his family in the shadows of the capital's sky-scrapers yards from a rubbish tip. Mr Ramirez, from Cricklewood was shocked to discover his new friend works seven days a week in bare feet and without gloves. He said: "I couldn't believe how they live. Nobody has a toilet, and there is just one cable where everybody gets their electricity.

"Imam told me I was like a brother to him and he couldn't understand why I cared so much for him and his family. I thought it would be tough, but I could never imagine how tough.

"What I learned from him is to be a bit humble, to be thankful for what you've got."

Greg Smith of Hammersmith and Fulham council, said: "Wilbur is a credit to our borough."

Mr Ramirez featured on Sunday in the first of a three-part series called Toughest Place to be a ...