PENDLE charities will benefit from the council's new arrangements for recycling large household waste rather than sending it to landfill sites.

Bacup-based company Green Moor Recycling this week took over the responsibility of collecting residents' bulky household waste on behalf of the council.

Staff will collect furniture such as settees, armchairs, wardrobes and sideboards and charities - such as Colne's Open Door Project, which provides free furniture to needy families in the borough - will benefit.

Pendle services committee chairman Coun Frank Clifford said: "Up to 70 per cent of the unwanted furniture collected will now be recycled.

"The good stuff will go to Open Door in Colne and then passed on to families in the borough while other goods will be repaired if possible and then passed on to other charities.

"This is an excellent arrangement in that it reduces the amount of waste ending up at landfill sites and makes sure good furniture is not destroyed but finds a new home."

The collection is free to residents and the council also operates a free collection of 'white goods' such as fridges and cookers.