CLAPPED out cars will be collected - free of charge - as part of a month-long amnesty on abandoned vehicles running throughout December.

Wyre Forest District Council is repeating a successful previous amnesty, in May, when 60 vehicles were picked up.

Councillor Nathan Desmond, the cabinet member for community and leisure, said: "Abandoned vehicles do concern residents. When people dump their old banger, it lowers the tone of their neighbourhood and becomes a tempting target for anti-social behaviour."

He added: "We also want to raise awareness of how people can, responsibly, dispose of cars and how to report abandoned vehicles. With our residents' help, we are improving the environment."

To take up the council's amnesty offer, owners of unwanted vehicles must have the logbooks for the cars, which will be disposed of by Kidderminster Car Dismantlers.

The company will remove dangerous materials, such as petrol, oil, brake fluid and batteries to recycle them before the car bodies are crushed and the metal recycled.

From April next year, the council will have greater powers to remove abandoned cars from the streets, under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.

At present, the council has to put a notice on unroadworthy cars to inform owners they will be taken away in 24 hours. The incoming law will mean the vehicles can be removed immediately and owners issued with £200 fines.

Wyre Forest residents can report abandoned vehicles by calling the council's customer services department on 01562 732928 or fill in a form at www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk

Anyone who wants to arrange collection of an unwanted vehicle can call Kidderminster Car Dismantlers on 01562 755929.