Householders in Bradford are being asked to give the planet a belated Christmas present by recycling as much waste as possible.

Over the festive period, the amount of waste created increased by a massive 30 per cent.

Batteries, bottles, cans, cardboard, Christmas trees, cards and wrapping paper are among the items that should be recycled.

If people find they have too much brown cardboard from the festive period, they can either tie it together and place it next to their grey paper bin on collection day or recycle it at a local Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Councillor Ghazanfer Khaliq, the Council’s executive member for environment and sustainability, said: “It’s important that we recycle even more from over Christmas and reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill.

“Everyone should have a great time but we want people to bear in mind how much damage to the environment can be done by failing to recycle extra Christmas rubbish.”

Householders are being urged to check their recycling collection date sticker for the date of their next recycling collection and not to forget to put their bin out by 7am from now on.

Christmas cards can either be put in the usual recycling bins at home or taken to TX Maxx and Marks & Spencer.

All funds raised through the collection of Christmas cards will go to The Woodland Trust to plant more trees in thousands of forests across the country.

Christmas trees can be recycled in a number of ways, either as part of a regular garden waste collection round when the Council will collect from the kerbside, or people can take their tree to the nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre or to any of the following garden centres: ACW, Canal Road, Bradford; Stephen H Smith, Wilsden; Peel Park Nursery, Peel Park; Tong Garden Centre, in Tong village; Woodbank Garden Centre, Harden.

To find out more about recycling call (01274) 431000 or visit bradford.gov.uk/recycling.