SO another Christmas is almost over, the decorations will be coming down in the next few days and will then be stored away until next year, but what are you going to do about the tree?

Wychavon District Council is urging Vale residents to recycle them at one of many garden centres across Worcestershire or the landfill site at Hill and Moor, near Pershore.

The council's call for people to recycle their Christmas trees coincides with its scheme to extend its recycling programme, which aims to serve 50% of households across the district by March.

Currently, the service reaches 20% of properties in the area.

So that recycling of waste can be increased, two different coloured sacks will be sent out to specific homes.

In the clear bag, residents can put their plastics and cans and the following week they can put out their purple-tinted bags full of paper and textiles.

The sacks will be collected in alternate weeks.

Special vehicles will call to collect the sacks, one section of the vehicle will take the recyclable materials to the recycling facility, while the other section will take domestic waste to the tip as usual.

Client services manager Sharon Casswell said: "The more recyclables residents put out for us - the less waste we will be sending to landfill.

"This is good news for residents and the environment and we urge those included in the scheme to play their part."

Homes receiving the sacks - set to land on doormats in January - will also get a starter kit with a calendar and information explaining how the scheme works.

She added: "It's so simple - just sort out the waste which can be recycled, put it in the right sack to avoid contamination, and we will do the rest."

Garden Centres taking trees are:

Coneybury Plant Centre, Alcester Road, Flyford Flavell;

Forest Farm Garden Centre, Allens Hill, Pinvin

Pro-Culture Plant Centre, Knowle Hill, Evesham;

Three Springs Garden Centre, Defford Road, Pershore;

Trees will be accepted during normal hours from today to Sunday, January 12.

For more information call the recycling hotline on 01386 565267.