SANTA paid an early visit to Lancashire this week to spread a seasonal recycling message over empty cans and bottles.

Father Christmas has donned a green outfit to visits supermarkets throughout the county as part of Lancashire County Council's Christmas Reth!nk Rubbish campaign.

More than 10 per cent of Lancashire's rubbish is produced over Christmas and the New Year -- and a great deal of this is in the form of empty glass bottles and aluminium cans, which can be recycled again and again and again.

Although more 15,000 tonnes of rubbish is thrown away in Lancashire every year -- the same weight as 91 jumbo jets -- more than 60 per cent could be recycled, composted or re-used.

As well as helping people to identify how and where they can recycle their rubbish, the Green Santa has been showing people some of the recycled products which supermarkets stock.

A county council spokesman: "We have been visiting Tesco stores around Lancashire to remind everyone how easy and important it is to recycle their empty bottles and cans once all the festive celebrations are over.

"There are many places around the county where people can take their festive empties, such as supermarkets like Tescos and council household recycling centres.

"While it's very important to recycle throughout the year, Christmas and New Year generates even more rubbish than usual, so I want to do what I can while I'm in the area to make sure this important festive message gets across to as many people as possible."

County Coun Brian Johnson, Lancashire's cabinet member for community and regeneration, explained: "We produce a colossal 2,200 tonnes of rubbish every day in Lancashire and only recycle, compost or re-use about 21 per cent. The festive period means even more is binned.

"The celebrations mean there will be millions of empty cans and bottles ready to be recycled and we are supporting the Reth!nk Rubbish message to emphasise how easy it is for people to choose to recycle.

"This is a great time to make a resolution to recycle more rubbish every day in Lancashire."

To find out more about your local County Council recycling facility, visit www.lancswasteinfo.com or telephone 0845 0500 957.