Dutch treat marred by bins strike

The Dutch celebrated their national holiday yesterday amid the smell of rubbish and beer as street sweepers and bin collectors in major cities went on strike demanding higher wages.

Rain overnight kept the Queen's Day Eve celebration – comparable to New Year's Eve – more restrained than in previous years.

Amsterdam was expecting a million visitors for a celebration featuring live music and an enormous offering of second-hand goods along pavements.

National flags and orange paraphernalia worn in honour of the Royal House littered the streets, along with piles of plastic beer glasses, cans and wrecked umbrellas. The strike ends on Monday.