WATER bosses are offering a way to feed the birds this winter - and stop drains getting blocked at the same time.

Cleaning up after the festive excess is never the most welcome task and a lot of leftovers end up being poured down the kitchen sink.

But water chiefs say that can come back to haunt householders as their drains can bet blocked with congealed fat and other waste. To fight that, Yorkshire Water launched a fat-trap earlier this year - a small plastic container to pour fat into rather than tipping it down the sink.

Some 20,000 of the fat-traps are now in homes and people are being urged not to throw the contents away.

For the company has linked up with the RSPB and is appealing to families to give it to the birds.

Many species which are regular garden visitors will thrive on fat balls and bird cakes which can be made by mixing the congealed cooking fat and oil with other ingredients.

They can include crushed, unsalted peanuts, black sunflower seeds, flaked maize or mild cheese and leaving it hanging from a bird table, fence or tree.

Margaret Overend, of the RSPB, said: "Freezing weather is a potential death sentence for many of them but, with just a little water, food and shelter, gardens can become vital havens for birds and other wildlife.

"By feeding the birds, you could make all the difference to their survival during this tough period and keep them in good condition for breeding in the spring. It could also mean you will have plenty of our feathered friends visiting your garden in time for the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch on January 29 and 30."

More information about how to get involved is available at www.rspb.org.uk