DROP-IN information sessions are to be held to coincide with the expansion of a recycling initiative.

Eight events are to be held in Hartlepool to enable residents to find out more about the council's alternate weekly collections (AWC) scheme.

Two-thirds of the town is covered by the scheme and the remainder, 13,000 homes in the north and centre of the town, will receive alternate weekly collections from next month. Bins and bags will be delivered to homes next month, with collections scheduled to start on October 15.

Homes will be given brown wheelie bins for garden waste and poly bags for plastic bottles and cardboard, in addition to their blue boxes and bags and green wheelie bins.

There will be collections each week, with green wheelie bins and blue boxes/bags being emptied one week, and brown bins and poly bags the next.

The drop-in sessions will take place at the following locations, all from 6pm to 8pm:

* St Helen's Primary School, on Monday;

* West View Community Centre, Miers Avenue, on Tuesday;

* St Hild's School, on Wednesday;

* Hart Village Hall, on Thursday;

* Dyke House School, on Monday, October 8;

* Lynnfield Learning Centre, Grosvenor Street, on Tuesday, October 9;

* The Orb Centre, Shrewsbury Street, on Wednesday, October 10;

* Belle Vue Sports Centre, on Thursday, October 11.

Fiona Srogi, the council's waste services officer, said: "We hope people will take advantage of the drop-in sessions to find out more about the AWC scheme."