A SUCCESSFUL recycling scheme is about to be extended to cover more areas of Rossendale.

The blue recycling bins are due to be delivered to parts of Edenfield, Rawtenstall, Irwell Vale, and Stubbins, with the first collections in February.

A further delivery of bins will be made in March, which should complete the final round of the scheme. In addition, a further 500 brown bins for composting will be delivered, before green waste collections start in March.

The news comes after the delivery of hundreds of blue recycling bins to parts of Rossendale suffered a setback when production machinery broke down in December -- meaning the blue bins couldn't be distributed as planned.

In a development, regeneration and environment report to the council, officers say recycling is up from three per cent to 17 per cent following the scheme's introduction.

The council has submitted a bid to the government for £20,000 to fund advertising and raise awareness of the scheme. The initiative is part of Rossendale Council's strategy aimed at recycling 28 per cent of all the area's waste by March.

The authority, currently one of the best in the country for its green policy, recycles 16 per cent of household waste.

Council bosses say the recycling collections have been successful after being piloted in the Bacup and Stacksteads areas.

Coun Nick Pilling, chairman of the development, regeneration and environment committee, said: "We are cracking on with the delivery now, so we are hoping to make sure every area in Rossendale will have the bins as quickly as possible."

For more information contact the council's customer helpline on 01706 879017.