RECYCLING bosses have enlisted an unusual mascot to help them tackle Lancashire's waste mountain -- a cartoon earthworm.

The Lancashire Waste Partnership is calling on residents to think about composting more garden waste as spring and summer approach with a new billboard advertising campaign.

The wacky worm is featured on the massive posters next to the slogan 'Don't wriggle out of composting -- how do you do yours?'

The campaign began after it was revealed that 30 per cent of rubbish in the typical bin in Lancashire could be composted.

There are different ways that people can choose to do this rather than just binning it.

They include people composting their own rubbish by building their own compost heap or getting one of the free home compost kits available to people across Lancashire.

These kits are available to order by phoning 0845 65 88 550. So far 50,000 kits have been given out in Lancashire.

Residents can also use the local council garden waste collection scheme. By the end of April over 150,000 households across Lancashire will have a separate collection for garden waste, which will then be composted.