A DOORSTEP collection has been set up to encourage people to recycle their Christmas trees.

In the service by Easington District Council, trees will be collected on Monday from homes in Seaham, Murton, Hawthorn, South Hetton, Haswell Plough, Easington and Peterlee.

On Tuesday, the collection will be in Horden, Blackhall, Hesleden, Castle Eden, Hutton Henry, Wingate, Station Town, Trimdon Station, Thornley, Wheatley Hill, Shotton and Sheraton.

Householders are asked to leave their trees at their normal bin collection point before 8.30am on the day of collection.

Trees can also be taken to the household waste recycling centres in Seaham, Horden and Thornley Crossings where they should be left at the garden waste skip.

All trees collected will be shredded for use on footpaths and flowerbeds, while trees left at the recycling centres will be used for compost.

The council is also running a trial scheme for recycling Christmas cards.

Until the end of this month, they can be deposited in wheelie bins at the Glebe Centre, in Murton; Murton Resource Centre; Hackworth Road, on the North West Industrial Estate, Peterlee; Peterlee Area Office, in Castledene Shopping Centre; Asda, in Peterlee; Peterlee Leisure Centre; Peterlee Library; East Durham and Houghall College's sites in Burnhope Way and the Howletch Centre; Seaham Leisure Centre; the Robin Todd Centre, in South Hetton; Wheatley Hill Community Centre and the cash office at the main council offices in Easington Village.

Residents are reminded not to put Christmas cards in their kerb-it box.