MONTI the Recycleable Monster is promoting a scheme to collect cans and glass bottles for recycling at 25,000 homes in East Cleveland.

The character has been constructed by children from Kirkleatham Hall School, in Redcar, for the launch of the district's Green Box scheme.

Thousands of homes have this week received green boxes for recycling aluminium cans, bottles and jars.

The first phase covers the Guisborough, Redcar, Saltburn, Marske and New Marske areas.

Cans will go to Corus, the aluminium to Alcan and the glass to a site in Barnsley.

In future, homes will also receive a white bag for textiles.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council hopes it will achieve the Government target to recycle 18 per cent of household waste by 2005.

Barbara Harpham, the council's lead member for the environment, said: "This Green Box scheme is the next big step in our growing partnership with the public to increase our recycling across the borough."