A LOCAL authority is urging its residents to ensure Christmas trees are properly disposed of as the festive period ends.

Hambleton District Council said residents in North Yorkshire who are subscribed to the authority's garden waste collection service will receive a one-off collection this month.

The collection, which will take place on either January 6 or January 13, depending on the town and village, will require residents to have chopped the tree up and placed into the green bin.

Residents who aren't subscribed to the scheme have been urged to take their tree to recycling centres at Sandholme Lane in Sowerby, Yafforth Road in Northallerton, Leeming Bar Industrial Estate, Stokesley Industrial Estate and Tholthorpe for composting.

Normal waste is also to be collected during the collection of used Christmas trees.

A spokesperson for Hambleton District Council said: "Subscriptions for the district council’s 2020/21 garden waste service – which runs from 30 March has opened.

"New and existing customers can sign up for the £40 a year fortnightly collection service at hambleton.gov.uk."

The spokesperson said those with current subscriptions are due to expire on March 27, 2020.

To find out specific dates of waste collection visit hambleton.gov.uk