A NORTH Yorkshire authority is among the leaders when it comes to recycling - and that's official.

Richmondshire District Council is the only one in the country to win three grants from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs over the past two years - and will be investing the cash in new initiatives across the area.

The most recent grant, for £151,500, will cover the cost of a new waste bulking station, as well as a new vehicle to collect recycled rubbish from homes and businesses around the district.

Vice-chairman of the authority's environment committee, Councillor Pat Middlemiss, said: "Richmondshire District Council is working hard to reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill.

"A number of initiatives, including a proposed home composting scheme, as well as the expansion of the kerbside recycling scheme across the whole district are in place to help us meet national recycling targets.

"We understand recycling is very important to Richmondshire's residents and the council is doing everything it can to make it easier for people."