AN open topped bus will feature at Bromsgrove Carnival to celebrate the town's success in doing its bit for the environment.

The bus will not be driving through the town with hard pressed council chiefs on the top deck taking the plaudits of the thronging masses in the style of a cup winning football team.

But the district council does have cause to celebrate with the latest figures showing that Bromsgrove is top of the county recycling league. Between January and March people in Bromsgrove recycled or composted 34 per cent of their household waste - that is 10 per cent more than any other council in Worcestershire.

"We generate 40,000 tonnes of waste a year throughout the Bromsgrove district and that means that local residents are putting in a stupendous effort to recycle or compost over 13,000 tonnes of their waste," said Brian Fuller, cabinet minister responsible for environmental health.

Cllr Fuller, who has led the work to improve the authority's much criticised waste collection service, claimed that despite the difficulties the success vindicated the decision to introduce the new system. "The reason why we have such good results is the efficiency of our collectors, having the right vehicles and most of all the co-operation of the public."