A FORMER Worcester mayor and award-winning comedian are joining forces to clean up the Faithful City.

Coun Derek Prodger will be launching the world's first motorised dustbin during a special event at Angel Place today.

The event is being supported at a national level by comedian Graham Norton and other celebrities including impressionist Alistair McGowan and presenters Anthea Turner and Fiona Phillips.

The giant bin is more than three metres high and just over 2.5 metres wide and will be visiting Worcester to encourage people to join the campaign, Rethink Rubbish.

The roadshow was due to start at 10am and will feature live music, theatre performances, games and competitions for all the family.

"In the UK we throw away nearly 30 million tonnes of rubbish every year," said comedian Graham Norton.

"In Worcester alone people throw away enough to fill the city's Cathedral to the eaves in just 14 months.

"What's more, the problem is getting worse. We need to look at new ways of dealing with rubbish.

"In Worcester, people currently recycle just nine per cent of their rubbish, but the city has to hit at least 16 per cent by 2003/04."

The initiative has been backed by the British Retail Consortium and is the first waste campaign to have united the city's major retailers, including Boots, Sainsbury's and Tesco.