A CAMPAIGN has been launched to reduce the amount of junk mail delivered to homes in County Durham.

Durham County Council is backing a national campaign to raise awareness of the Mailing Preference Service (MPS), a free service that allows householders to opt out of receiving unwanted mail.

The industry service allows people to register, either on the website - www.mpsonline.org.uk - or by calling 0845 703 4599, and their details will then be then removed from 95 per cent of UK mailing lists.

Councillor Brian Myers, the county council's cabinet member for the environment, said: "Registering with the MPS can make a huge difference to the amount of unwanted junk mail that falls through our letter boxes every day and goes straight in the bin.

"We can also make an impact on the amount of household waste that needlessly ends up in landfill sites by recycling advertising leaflets and other junk mail with our newspapers."

The campaign is being run by the Direct Marketing Association, in partnership with environmental organisation Planet Ark, and is also being supported by tennis player Pat Cash and singer Dannii Minogue.