YOUNGSTERS are being encouraged to recycle Yellow Pages to raise money for their schools.

Schools in the Sedgefield Borough Council area are taking part in the national recycling scheme Yellow Woods Challenge.

The scheme, organised by the council and the Butterwick Hospice, in Bishop Auckland, awards money to schools that have recycled the most directories per pupil.

Every pound awarded by the Yellow Pages to each school will be matched with a pound for the Woodland Trust to help keep the UK's native woodland.

All participating schools are given environmental educational materials which, with campaign mascot Kirk, help bring recycling and woodland conservation messages to life in the classroom.

Oliver Priestley-Leach, waste management officer at Sedgefield Borough Council and organiser of the Yellow Woods Challenge in Sedgefield, said: "Taking part in the Yellow Woods Challenge last year encouraged schools and local communities to do their bit for the environment. We must build on last year's success and support schools by giving them old Yellow Pages directories for recycling."

The schools will be collecting old Yellow Pages this month, to be taken by volunteers from the Butterwick Hospice to Foremen Recycling of Spennymoor, and turned into animal bedding.