IT'S a long-standing Bank Holiday tradition that, should the weather be up for it, the family should enjoy a day out.

There's the countryside to enjoy, despite foot-and-mouth, and the coast always beckons with its bracing air and amusement arcades.

But should such diversions be losing their appeal, North Yorkshire County Council has come up with another destination to tempt the day-trippers.

And they are throwing open the gates of their household waste sites to demonstrate the delights of the compost heap.

It may sound bizarre but the authority is being serious at least in its efforts to encourage more people to start composting their green waste.

"People bring their household waste to our sites and we ask them to separate out their green waste for different skips," explained assistant waste management officer Tracey Bednell.

"Some people think we do that just to be annoying - but from now on there will be samples of the compost we produce for them to see.

"Green waste accounts for about 20 per cent of household waste and yet it can easily be converted into a useful product. That's what we want to highlight," said Tracey.

The compost is going on show at the civic amenity sites in Northallerton, Sowerby, Catterick, Leeming Bar, Ripon, Stokesley and Harrogate.