Council chiefs are celebrating after recycling levels took a big jump.

Since the introduction of kerbside recycling collections in the Ryedale area of North Yorkshire in 2003, recycling has increased dramatically - at the same time diverting waste from landfill.

Between 1996 and 2001, the only way residents could recycle was by using recycling banks in town centre car parks, or in some villages.

That only achieved a recycling rate of about 11 per cent, with less than 2,000 tonnes per year of recyclable waste being collected for reprocessing.

"All residents receiving kerbside collections are to be congratulated for their excellent efforts in sorting materials for recycling," said Elizabeth Shields, chairman of Ryedale's community services and licensing committee.

"Last year, Ryedale's residents managed to push the recycling rate up to 25 per cent, resulting in 5,500 tonnes - almost 500 refuse lorry loads - of rubbish being diverted from the Thornton-le-Dale landfill site."

Glass, cans and paper from kerbside collections is delivered back to manufacturers for reprocessing and the garden waste goes to local farmers, who compost the material and use it on their land.

There are 17,000 householders in Ryedale receiving kerbside recycling collections and the service is expected to extend to the remaining 6,000 householders this summer.