BURNLEY Council is encouraging residents to have a cracker of a Christmas when it comes to recycling.

People are reminded that they can recycle all the cans, bottles, paper, cards and even their real Christmas trees once all the festivities are over.

The council will collect real Christmas trees on Monday, January 14.

To arrange collection of a tree visit www.burnley.gov.uk/christmastrees anytime up to and including Thursday, January 10.

Sean Spencer, the council’s streetscene services manager, said: “We’re changing the way we collect real Christmas trees for recycling this year. We’re asking residents to book a collection online, including giving details where the tree will be left, so that we can increase the number of trees we recycle.”

Councillor Lian Pate, the council’s executive member for community services, said: “We’re coming up to the time of the year when many people generate a lot of extra rubbish, much of which can be recycled. Things like wrapping paper,

cardboard, plastic bottles, and cans can all be recycled.

"We’re expecting a bumper recycling collection over the festive fortnight in the aftermath of all the Christmas and New Year celebrations."

Burnley Council has announced changes to residents’ household waste collections over Christmas and New Year.

This is due to when the festive Bank Holidays fall this year.

All collections for Christmas Day will be moved to Christmas Eve

All collections for Boxing Day will be moved to Saturday, December 29.

All collections for New Year's Day will be moved to New Year's Eve.

Mr Spencer added: “Everyone is in the habit of putting their wheelie bin and recycling boxes and bags out on a certain day so we wanted to give residents plenty of notice about the festive changes so they can make sure they don’t miss out on a collection.”

Because more rubbish is generated during the festive period, the council is temporarily relaxing its rules over bags of extra waste.

Normally the council does not collect any excess waste left outside a wheelie bin.

But between Christmas Eve and January 11, the council will collect extra bags of rubbish that will not fit in a wheelie bin.

After that the council will return to its policy of not collecting any waste left outside wheelie bins.