STUDENTS in north Durham are celebrating after winning a competition aimed at encouraging young people to recycle batteries.

Young people from The Durham Federation were presented with a certificate and an iPad by Durham County Council’s strategic waste management team for collecting and recycling a total of 136.5kg of batteries.

Durham County Council manages the battery recycling scheme with Valpak, which co-ordinates the collections and recycling.

Paula George, projects and campaigns team leader at Durham County Council, said: “We’re delighted to be promoting this campaign in County Durham in partnership with Valpak and we look forward to rewarding more keen recyclers.

“Throughout the county students have collected over 1,135kg of batteries which may otherwise have ended up in landfill.”

In 2011/12, 81 schools and colleges registered to take part in the scheme and so far this year the figure has increased to 96.

The Durham Foundation is made up of Fyndoune Community College and Durham Community Business College.