Radstock residents have been thanked for their part in making it a record-breaking recycling this New Year.

Residents are being sent a big 'thank you' for their recycling efforts over the Christmas period that resulted in the biggest collection day Bath & North East Somerset Council's waste team has ever seen.

Recycling crews handled more than 166 tonnes of recycling – the equivalent of the weight of 24 full grown African elephants - on 2 January, which beats the previous highest record of 161 tonnes in 2017 and is around 60 extra tonnes than on an average day.

The drive to recycle across the district has also contributed to the council being placed in the top 20 English local authorities for household waste, recycling, composting and reuse rate in the latest table from environment website www.letsrecycle.com.

People can find out how the food waste they recycle is transformed into electricity with nothing going to landfill in the council's video, produced in partnership with recycling and renewable energy company GENeco, which can be viewed here https://youtu.be/2I8Tjb4Fy-Q

Residents are also being reminded that their rubbish and recycling collections are one day late this week but will be back to normal from Monday 13 January.

Councillor David Wood, joint cabinet member for Climate Emergency and Neighbourhood Services, said: "Our recycling achievements in Bath and North East Somerset this Christmas and New Year have been second to none. I'd like to thank our residents for their great efforts and co-operation in helping us to successfully recycle the Christmas waste, which increases by almost a third at this time of year.

"I also congratulate our waste and recycling teams for working hard during extended hours and poor weather to get all the collections done so that our residents continue to have an efficient service during the holiday period. I'm looking forward to our figures going up again in 2020 – please keep on recycling."

For New Year recycling days and normal collection days from 13 January see the red button.