MORE than 2,000 homes have taken part in the first week of a major new kerbside recycling scheme in Darlington.

Darlington Borough Council said it was delighted with the early success of the Time to Recycle project, which was launched this week following months of planning.

Public response to the scheme has seen council teams working late into the evenings to complete the day's collection.

The scheme enables people to recycle glass bottles, textiles, aluminium and steel cans and clear plastics in green recycling boxes that are left for collection at the kerbside.

Newspaper, paper, junk mail and magazines will also be collected if placed in plastic bags next to the box. The collections will be taking place fortnightly on the same day as refuse collections.

Chris McEwan, the council's cabinet member for community protection, said: "The public response has been tremendous. We have seen full boxes in street after street, we could not have wished for a better start."

The first phase of the scheme will be rolled out across parts of the borough over the next two weeks.

Meanwhile, information leaflets and green recycling boxes are being distributed to homes that will be included in the second phase of the scheme, due to begin in October.

Residents living in terrace houses are being told to place their green boxes at the front of their properties for collection, and not in the back lanes or alleyways.

Anyone with queries about the new service, or people who will be away when their recycling box is to be delivered, can contact the council on (01325) 388777.