WORCESTER is proving it's environmentally friendly after hitting its recycling targets, official figures have revealed.

Households in Worcester are recycling twice as much waste since a £400,000 doorstep collection scheme was introduced.

Worcester City Council started fortnightly collections of recyclable rubbish last June aided by the Government grant.

Since it began, the recycling rate for waste has jumped from nine per cent to 17 per cent.

The figure is above the planned target of 16 per cent and the council is now aiming for a goal of 25 per cent by 2005.

Worcester MP Mike Foster, who obtained the figures from the council, hailed the scheme's success.

"Nearly one year from the scheme starting, we can see the evidence - it works, and Worcester is playing its part in recycling," he said.

"A total of £400,000 is a considerable sum of money, and it is right that we carefully look at how it is used.

"But the figures, showing a doubling of our recycling rate, are clear evidence of the success of the scheme."

The Labour MP, who lobbied for the grant from Defra, added: "The challenges will be to deal with the material not covered by the doorstep scheme, such as glass and garden waste.

"It will also be important for those who do not recycle to start doing so."