DURHAM City Council's successful doorstep recycling scheme is attracting attention from local authorities throughout England and Scotland.

About 500 tonnes of glass and paper have been collected in less than four months since the scheme began - way ahead of predicted targets.

A special recycling retriever vehicle has been touring homes in and around Durham to pick up reusable rubbish from 13,000 residents.

The pilot scheme hit the 500 tonnes mark in half the expected time, which council bosses said was down to the excellent response of residents.

As a result, councils from other parts of the country have asked to visit Durham to see how the scheme works, with a view to taking it up.

The project is the first in the region where material is collected from residents' homes for recycling.

The pilot area covers West Rainton, Gilesgate Moor, Belmont, Carrville, Leamside, Pittington, Sherburn Hill, Shadforth, Littletown, Ludworth, Framwellgate Moor, Pity Me, Newton Hall, North End, Crossgate Moor, Whitesmocks and Brasside.

If it continues to prove successful in its first year, it could be expanded to all 36,000 homes in the Durham City area.

Jeff Riddell, head of environmental services at Durham City Council, said: "We are delighted with the continuing excellent response from residents to our recycling scheme.

"With just over half of the houses in the trial areas putting out the green recycling boxes, we are consistently achieving a recovery rate of 14 per cent.

"If we are able to improve on this by encouraging even more people to recycle, we will be within Government targets of 25 per cent of household waste recycled by 2005."

He said the doorstep scheme had obviously spurred on local people to collect and recycle their paper and glass.

"Our success is down to the effort and commitment of all the local people taking part," he said.