RECYCLING rates in Burnley have more than doubled since the introduction of alternate week collections, according to new figures.

Figures just released by the Government show that in 2004/05 before the borough's new alternate week recycling and refuse collections came in the council only recycled 12.4 per cent of household rubbish collected in the borough.

But since April, when the new collection service started, the borough's recycling rate has risen to almost 30 per cent one of the best in the North West.

Since April, Burnley Council has collected 7,467 tonnes of recyclable rubbish.

Coun Denis Otter, the council's executive member for the environment, said: "Before the alternate week collections started our record on recycling was poor and we wanted to improve.

"All that has changed thanks to local people and their efforts to recycle more through the recycling and refuse collection service that came in last April.

"Between April and December 2005 our recycling rate was 28.7 per cent and I hope that can rise further before the end of March.

"The whole point of the alternate week collection service was to increase recycling rates and reduce the amount of reusable rubbish that gets dumped into the ground at landfill sites.

"Our recycling rates have gone from 12 to 28 per cent in less than a year and I consider that a great success. We're still working to make further. improve-ments to the service but more and more people are recycling more and more and that's a great credit to everyone in the borough who puts out their recycling containers every fortnight."

The council collects glass, cans, paper, cardboard, textiles, aluminium foil, garden waste and plastic bottles.