A SERIES of drop-in question and answer sessions will be held to enable people to find out more about a recycling initiative.

Five events are to be held in Hartlepool to keep residents informed about the expansion of the council's alternate weekly collections (AWC) scheme.

These will take place at:

* The Staincliffe Hotel, Seaton Carew, on Wednesday, from 7pm to 9pm

* Kingsley Primary School, next Thursday, from 7pm to 9pm

* Belle Vue Sports Centre, Friday, June 9, from 7pm to 9pm

* Rossmere Community Building, Ardrossan Court, Monday, June 12, from 7pm to 9pm

* The Education Development Centre, Seaton Lane, Tuesday, June 13, from 6pm to 8pm.

The recycling scheme involves householders being given brown wheeled bins for garden waste and white polybags for cardboard and plastic bottles - in addition to their existing blue boxes/bags and green wheeled bins.

At the same time, a revised refuse collection regime is being introduced, with green bins and blue boxes/bags being emptied one week and brown bins and white polybags the next.

From July 3, the scheme is to be extended to take in Seaton Carew, the bottom part of the Rift House ward, those sections of the Rossmere ward not included in an original pilot scheme and most of Foggy Furze ward.

Clare Scott, Hartlepool Borough Council's recycling officer, said: "This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure that the expansion of the AWC scheme runs as smoothly as possible.

"We hope residents will attend to find out more and put their questions to us."