A RECYCLING campaign has been kicked-off by can-can girls.

Dancers from Houghton Dance and Performing Arts Academy performed in full costume in Durham City's Market Place today.

They helped County Durham Waste Awareness Partnership, led by Durham County Council, launch the new campaign to encourage people to recycle cans, empty aerosols and even biscuit tins.

Councillor Alan Cox, the council's cabinet member for waste management, said: "We're focusing on cans because it's such an easy way to get people to use their recycling service.

"Food and drinks cans, empty aerosols with the plastic top removed and biscuit tins can all go in the kerbside recycling box."

Once collected, cans are take to a waste processor where the aluminium and the steel are separated and made into bales which are melted down and made into large sheets.

The material is then sold to re-processors who make new goods such as cars, refrigerators or just new cans.

The weight of cans collected from kerb it collection and household waste recycling centres in County Durham during the last year was 944 tonnes.