AN initiative aims to boost recycling levels in Hartlepool.

Bosses at the borough council are introducing fortnightly collections of cans, glass, clothes and textiles from outside people's homes.

The service, which will involve householders being given blue plastic boxes for their cans and glass, along with Salvation Army bags for clothing and material, is due to start in the summer.

It will initially cover 12,000 homes in areas of the town deemed to have the best recycling records, although it is to be extended to all of the town's 40,000 households over two years.

Denise Ogden, Environment Manager, said: "We are aiming to build on the success of our blue bag waste paper collections with this initiative. People deserve a lot of credit for helping us to increase our recycling levels, but it is vital that they continue to support us in our efforts to further protect the environment."

The initiative comes in the wake of statistics that show almost ten per cent of domestic waste in Hartlepool is either recycled or composted.

The success of the blue bag waste paper recycling collections has been instrumental in recycling figures rising.

The amount of paper recycled has increased by almost 50 per cent in a year from April to December last year.

For recycling information call (01429) 523808.