A SUCCESSFUL door-to-door recycling scheme is to be expanded to take in every home in Hartlepool.

Last year, 25,000 homes received blue boxes and plastic sacks that enable residents to gather together cans, glass, clothes and textiles for collection every fortnight.

The town's remaining 15,000 properties will receive their boxes and sacks over the next few weeks.

Denise Ogden, Hartlepool Borough Council's waste manager, said: "We have been delighted with the initial impact of the scheme, which has resulted in an average of 120 tonnes of household rubbish being recycled every month.

"We would urge householders who are not yet part of the scheme to look out for their blue boxes and support our efforts to protect the environment by recycling as much of their waste as possible."

The blue boxes and clothing sacks will be accompanied by a leaflet explaining the latest recycling scheme and a calendar listing collection dates.

There will also be a new blue bag for use in the council's existing kerbside waste paper collection initiative.

Anyone who thinks they may have been missed out during phase one of blue box deliveries, or residents who have lost their boxes and want to resume recycling, can contact (01429) 523333.