When are bins being collected in Hartlepool and County Durham over the festive period?

The council has announced there will be no changes to household refuse and recycling collections over the festive period and residents are asked to dispose of waste in their grey and green bins as normal.

As in previous years, side waste will not be accepted and should be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre, in Burn Road.

The centre is open from 9am until noon and 1pm until 4pm from Wednesday to Sunday, with the exception of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Kieran Bostock, the council’s assistant director, said: “The crews will be working exceptionally hard to collect waste over the festive holidays.”

He added: “We ask residents to assist in this process by not overfilling bins or leaving additional waste in the street.”

Overfilled bins with raised lids can pose a health and safety risk to refuse collection staff by obscuring their view of the machinery in the bin wagon.

Appointments must be booked in advance online at www.hartlepool.gov.uk/HWRCbookings or by calling (01429) 523333.

Real Christmas trees are also being accepted at the Household Waste Recycling Centre from Wednesday, December 28, and the council will be offering a collection service from Tuesday, January 10.

Collection slots which will be allocated on a first come-first served basis and can be booked online at www.hartlepool.gov.uk/collectmytree or by calling (01429) 523333.

Residents across County Durham are reminded that no bin collections will take place on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

From Tuesday, December 27, to Friday, December 30, collections will take place one day later than normal, starting from Wednesday, December 28, to Saturday, December 31.

Normal collections will resume on Tuesday, January 3 and there will be no large waste collections between Christmas Eve and Monday, January 2.

Real Christmas tree collections will be available in the New Year and can be booked for free online at www.durham.gov.uk/christmastreecollections or by calling 03000 260000, up to Friday, January 6.

Residents can keep up to date with any changes to council services by following @durhamcouncil on twitter or @durhamcouncil on Facebook.