Darlington is to benefit from a grant of half-a-million pounds to improve recycling schemes across the borough.

The money is a result of Darlington Borough council's bid for £536,000 from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs' National Waste Minimisation Fund, and will go towards plans for a kerbside recycling scheme.

The funding will buy four collection vehicles, kerbside recycling boxes, promotional literature and to appoint a recycling officer to co-ordinate the venture.

Under the kerbside scheme people will be able to recycle paper, glass and steel and aluminum cans.

Stephen Harker, the council's cabinet member for community protection, said: "This is excellent news for Darlington.

"This grant will secure kerbside recycling in Darlington for some years, boosting our recycling rate considerably, and giving residents a service for which there is a clear demand.

"It is pleasing to note that the Government has chosen to fully support the bid we made - a clear endorsement of the proposal we put forward."

The announcement comes one month after the successful introduction of a recycling scheme to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill sites.

Under the scheme, the first of its type in the town, two skips for garden waste and another for timber have been set up at the Drinkfield civic amenity site. In the first month of the scheme 75 tonnes of garden waste and 20 tonnes of wood were collected for recycling.

The scheme will be introduced early next summer.