Green-fingered residents in Cornwall are recycling record amounts of garden waste, as Global Recycling Day was celebrated yesterday (Monday).

More than of 32,000 tonnes of grass clippings, weeds, leaves and prunings were collected by Cornwall Council last year - enough to fill 39 Olympic swimming pools.

Sue James, Cornwall Council’s cabinet member for the environment and neighbourhoods, said: “We are delighted that so many people in Cornwall are recycling their garden waste and using our fortnightly collection service which is a great option when people lead such busy lives.

“There are many ways to dispose of your garden waste, whether that’s through our collection service, depositing it at one of our Household Waste Recycling Centres, home composting or simply reducing waste at source.

"As we mark Global Recycling Day today, recycling your garden waste is yet another way you can recycle in Cornwall and do your bit for the environment.”

Residents put out 11,300 tonnes of garden waste at the kerbside to be picked up by the council’s garden waste collection service and 20,750 tonnes were deposited at Cornwall’s 13 Household Waste Recycling Centres.

All collected garden waste is turned into compost and used on farms in Cornwall.

The number of residents subscribing to the council’s fortnightly garden waste collection service has grown by about 10% per year since 2012.

In 2016-17 a total of 30,000 households were signed up and last year it was around 33,700.

The service collects grass cuttings, leaves or organic sweepings, tree, shrub and rose prunings, branches up to 30cm long and 2.5cm diameter (e.g. broom handle width), cut flowers, weeds and windfall.

Residents have the option of putting their garden waste out in a specially provided 240 or 140 litre bin or 70 litre bag.

Annual garden waste subscriptions start at £23.25 and all details are available on the website.