PEOPLE in Darlington are being urged to do their bit for the environment and recycle their Christmas trees.

Darlington Borough Council is asking people to take real trees to collection points in the town from Sunday until Friday, January 16.

The trees will be turned into mulch for parks and open spaces throughout the borough.

A council spokeswoman said: "All we ask is that residents ensure all decorations are removed from their Christmas tree before leaving it at the collection point."

She also said that trees left out with household rubbish would not be taken away by refuse collectors.

Christmas tree collection sites are at: South Park's Bedford Street entrance; Homebase at Darlington Retail Park; the council nursery, in Salutation Road North Park; B&Q in Whessoe Road; Sugar Hill Park's Prior St entrance; Water Park, Middleton St George; Hurworth Grange Community Centre; Civic amenity site, off Whessoe Road; Eastbourne Park; Gardeners Barn, off Albert Road; Rockwell Pastures; Heighington Village Hall car park.

For details about recycling call (01325) 388582 or 388777.